Matt Hancock: the digitally savvy dark horse who may just become our next prime minister
Of all the names being bandied around to succeed Theresa May, Matt Hancock is perhaps the most intriguing.
Appointed Culture Secretary in January 2018, he had previously held a number of Junior Ministerial roles, including the now defunct job of Minister for Portsmouth. In July 2018 he succeeded Jeremy Hunt for the second time, taking over as Health Secretary. Hancock was educated at an independent school in Chester, before attending both Oxford and Cambridge. He worked for his family’s firm and then as an economist at the Bank of England. So far, so standard for a Conservative politician.
The thing that makes Hancock interesting, and different from the likes of Boris Johnson, Michael Gove or Hunt, is a genuine fascination with, and devotion to, tech. (That family firm was a software company.) However, although clearly impressed by such firms, he is certainly not beholden to big tech companies. When Culture Secretary, he proposed introducing legislation that put a duty of care for users on the major tech companies like Facebook, an idea supported by Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, and Jeremy Wright, who took over from Hancock in DCMS.
Since taking up the position of Health Secretary, Hancock’s commitment to solving the problems created by big tech hasn’t waned. He made a strident intervention over suicide and self-harm material being available on social networks earlier this year. Then last week he went after social media firms once again, this time for allowing anti-vaccine falsehoods to spread on their networks. He told the Today programme that their doing so was “an important part of that duty of care alongside all the other things that social media companies need to do.”
The anti-vaxx movement is growing online and is endangering people. It is just one of a large number of important issues that has been ignored in the Brexit-apocalypse, so it was nice to see a Cabinet minister acknowledging it. As ever, the words need to be matched with real action, but it does at least show some understanding of what is going on. So enthralled with digital is Hancock that he infamously launched his own eponymously titled app. It might have been met, not unreasonably, with some derision, but there is something to be said for modern politicians trying to do something different to engage constituents. However silly releasing your own app may be, Hancock does seem to have some appreciation of the modern world, which, frankly, makes rather a nice change.
More importantly, Hancock has pushed for the NHS to develop its use of AI, genomics and lifestyle data. He told the Evening Standard that it will help the health service “learn how people can stay healthier for longer and then also be treated better when they become ill.” He cited early diagnosis of sepsis as an example of how AI can help provide better treatment and improve survival rates. Hancock doesn’t want code to replace care, but Artificial Intelligence is changing the world, and it is right and proper that the NHS uses that technology to its fullest potential.
His passion for tech has though caused a few factitious moments during his tenure at the health department. For instance, his support for the Babylon health app and commercial genetic testing were not greeted entirely warmly.
But, as Ross Clark noted over on the Spectator, Hancock has largely done a good job of not offending too many people crucial to this upcoming contest – his fellow MPs and the Tory membership at large. This is particularly impressive in the current, highly fractious, political climate.
While his support for Theresa May’s deal may put off some, by having not featured prominently during the original referendum campaign, he has avoided being too closely aligned with one camp or the other. That is surely an essential for any future leader.
Hancock has some interesting quirks too. He has played cricket at the North Pole for instance, suffering frostbite on route. The basics are also working in Hancock’s favour. Aged 40, he is young enough to pitch himself as ‘the next generation’ of Tory leader. With a majority of over 13,000, he is far more comfortable in his seat than the likes of Amber Rudd and even Johnson.
He might not be prominent compared to some of the other Cabinet big beasts being touted then, but Matt Hancock does stand a fighting chance of being the next Prime Minister. His ability to avoid being caught in the Brexit crossfire (some slightly misjudged comments about fridges aside), combined with a digital savviness unmatched by any potential competitors, will be his biggest advantage if he throws his hat into the ring.
Hancock became the first MP in modern times to win a horse race when he won at the Newmarket July Course in August 2012. He may yet win another, and be the dark horse that crosses the finishing line to Downing Street first.
