Political love affairs that shook the nation

From Matt Hancock to John Profumo, politicians have found themselves caught out time and again

Profumo
John Profumo was forced to resign as secretary of state for war over his affair with Christine Keeler
(Image credit: Ron Case/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Images of Matt Hancock kissing his most trusted aide in his ministerial office were splashed across the front page of almost every newspaper last month – and the ensuing scandal, as well as accusations that the health secretary broke social distancing guidelines, was enough to force him to stand down.

But Hancock is not the first – and won’t be the last – politician to be brought down by an affair. Here’s a look at some of the most high-profile liaisons in UK political history.

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