A Conservative county councillor has said party activists would feel let down by the Health Secretary but it was not a resigning issue – for now.

Matt Hancock's future in the role has been questioned after pictures emerged of him embracing an aide.

Asked if he thought Mr Hancock should resign, Cllr Paul Cooper, who is also chairman of the Faversham and Mid Kent Conservative Association, said: “I don't think so but it is tremendously embarrassing and quite rightly so but I don't think we should judge him on his personal life but what he does professionally.

"But what I am concerned about is that the government has been telling us to keep socially distant and that we cannot get within two metres of anyone we like... nevermind apologies to the Prime Minister, he should be addressing the Commons to apologise.”

Mr Hancock has been accused of having an affair with the aide, Gina Coladangelo, and breaking social distancing rules.

Ms Coladangelo, a long-standing friend of Mr Hancocks, was a former lobbyist before being appointed as a non-executive director of the NHS.

The image, published by The Sun, has prompted Labour to ask whether the correct procedures had been followed in her recruitment.

Cllr Cooper continued: “I think it is a huge disappointment to a lot of activists, including people like me who have not necessarily agreed with the complexity of the rules or the severity of the rules.

"They are going to find it particularly galling that the person who is predominantly responsible for health and for setting the rules is someone who has been breaking them.

"I think that it is particularly disappointing. It does smack a little bit of do as I say not do as I do.”

But he accepted that if Mr Hancock lost the trust of either his cabinet colleagues or the Prime Minister, he would have to consider his position – but that had not happened.

“Events over the next few days may call that into question,” he added.

"We all have personal relationships at work, not always as intimately as Matt Hancock, but we do."

“The big issue here is whether there has been a conflict of interest that has affected his ability to do the job.

"I hope not. We all have personal relationships at work, not always as intimately as Matt Hancock, but we do.

"If there is any question of that [conflict] then it becomes a very different matter.”

For more on the week in politics in Kent, click here.

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