Matt Hancock appointed new Minister for Health and Social Care

Matt Hancock’s route to Health and Social Care Secretary mirrors that of his predecessor Jeremy Hunt.

Both spent time as Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Secretary before taking over the role in charge of one of the nation’s most beloved institutions.

A graduate of both Oxford and Cambridge universities, he is a former Bank of England economist who went on to be a close ally of then-chancellor George Osborne – a man not known for his support of Theresa May.

After working for Mr Osborne first as his adviser, he became his chief of staff before standing down when he ran for a seat in West Suffolk in 2010.

The Conservative entered Government in 2012 and joined the DCMS in July 2016 after Mrs May took over as Prime Minister.

Six months later, she promoted Mr Hancock, who supported Remain ahead of the Brexit referendum, to head the DCMS during a reshuffle.

The father-of-three sold himself as being tech-savvy, launching his own smartphone app as a way to “connect” with his constituents.

However, the 39-year-old had to defend The Matt Hancock App over privacy concerns and was the subject of some derision.

According to a Government profile, he is a cricket fan who once played the most northerly game of the sport on record with a game en route to the Pole during which he got frostbite.

His daring nature also saw him train as a jockey for a charity horse race.

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