Disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and his lover are ‘together but living apart’ as they battle to keep their romance private, reports claim.

Hancock, 42, is said to be in ‘regular contact’ with Gina Coladangelo, the ex-Downing Street aide he was snapped kissing in his ministerial office.

The dad-of-three reportedly rushed home to end his 15-year marriage to wife Martha just hours before learning his alleged affair would be exposed on the front page of the Sun newspaper.

Meanwhile Ms Coladangelo, 43, is believed to have split from husband Oliver Tress, the founder of fashion chain Oliver Bonas, with whom she also has three children.

A friend of Hancock told the Mail on Sunday: ‘He is still very much together with Gina, but they are physically apart because of the intense media interest.’ 

Hancock was pictured collecting his belongings from his former home in London earlier this week.

Casually dressed in shorts, trainers and a baseball cap, he was handed a binbag containing clothing, together with boxes, suitcases, a child car seat and a coffee machine.

Hancock was forced to quit after facing a huge backlash when details of his indiscretion came to light.

He apologised for breaching social distancing guidelines but resisted intense pressure to resign until he eventually succumbed to the demands of furious MPs, including three Conservatives.

Now Hancock is now desperately trying to claw back his career in politics – but faces an uphill battle in his West Suffolk constituency, where local councillors passed a vote of no confidence in their MP.

Newmarket mayor Michael Jeffreys said he was ‘dismayed’ by Hancock’s performance and described his behaviour as ‘the final straw’.

He faces a fresh ‘sleaze’ row over hiring Ms Coladangelo, who he met at Oxford University, privately – as campaigners insist the Government has ‘serious questions’ to answer over the appointment.

The UK’s data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office, seized computers from two homes in a bid to find out how the footage of Hancock kissing his lover was leaked.

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