Matt Hancock has said that he is going on ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in order to raise awareness of his dyslexia campaign.
The former health secretary has been suspended as a member of the Conservative Party after it emerged that he has flown to Australia to take part in the ITV show.
The move has drawn criticism from many quarters as it means that he could be away from parliamentary duties - and his West Sussex constituents - for over four weeks, but in an op-ed for The Sun today Hancock has defended his decision.
"While there will undoubtedly be those who think I shouldn't go, I think it's a great opportunity to talk directly to people who aren't always interested in politics, even if they care very much about how our country's run," he wrote.
"It's our job as politicians to go to where the people are - not to sit in ivory towers in Westminster.
"There are many ways to do the job of being an MP. Whether I'm in camp for one day or three weeks, there are very few places people will be able to see a politician as they really are."
Hancock went on to insist that he would be able to respond to "any urgent constituency matters" through an agreement with the show's producers, and explained that he is keen to use the exposure to bring issues of dyslexia to a wider audience.
"While most people will know me for being the Health Secretary during the pandemic, what you probably won't know is that I am dyslexic, and I've been campaigning for better identification and support for dyslexic children," he continued.
"Far too many people in Britain don't find out they're dyslexic until they've left school, and tragically don't get the support they need. I was diagnosed at the age of 18, after I left school.
"My diagnosis was a lightbulb moment and after many years of thinking I just wasn't very good at reading, I finally understood why I didn't always understand.
"As a backbench MP, I have the freedom and time to champion causes I believe in and care about - including dyslexia.
"I want to raise the profile of my dyslexia campaign to help every dyslexic child unleash their potential - even if it means taking an unusual route to get there... via the Australian jungle!
"I'm A Celebrity is watched by millions of Brits up and down the country. I want to use this incredible platform to raise awareness, so no child leaves primary school not knowing if they have dyslexia."
The new series of I'm A Celebrity begins Sunday at 9pm on ITV. body check tags ::
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