Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock will run the London Marathon in aid of a Suffolk hospice, but people were donating cash to leave abusive messages on his fundraising page.
Hancock, who is West Suffolk's Conservative MP, resigned in June after an affair with a senior advisor was revealed in a newspaper and was caught on CCTV video in his office hugging her in violation of social distancing regulations there. moment.
He has kept a low profile since the scandal broke, but posted online that he was running the London Marathon for the first time in October to raise cash for St Nicholas Hospice Care, which operates in his constituency.
However, the Just Giving website was taken over by people who donated to the charity but took the opportunity to leave an insulting comment. The offending messages were later removed, but by 2.30pm on Thursday 2 September, more than ยฃ 3,000 had been raised.
Before they were removed, dozens of abusive messages, some full of obscene language, were posted on the website.
One message read: "You and your best friends from the elite are the worst people to represent something, but here you are representing a country and now a hospice. This cannot be real."
Another posted: "Given your staggering levels of incompetence, will there be people stationed around the route to tell you which way to go?"
Each message was accompanied by a donation of ยฃ 2 to the hospice. ITV News Anglia has contacted St Nicholas Hospice for comment.
On the website, Mr. Hancock posted: "St Nicholas Hospice Care is a fantastic charity working in my West Suffolk constituency seeking to provide help, support and advice to those living with long-term and life-threatening illnesses. life".
"The Hospice receives about 2,000 people each year and any money donated will make a real difference in people's lives.
"This is my first London Marathon and I am very excited to participate and raise funds for St Nicholas Hospice Care. I have already started my training and I hope to keep everyone updated on my progress."
