Captain Sir Tom Moore and Matt Hancock
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Captain Sir Tom Moore could get statue in his honour after death, hints Matt Hancock

The 100-year-old raised over £32 million for the NHS during the pandemic

Captain Sir Tom Moore will have a statue built in his honour, Matt Hancock has hinted.

The 100-year-old fundraising legend died on Tuesday after battling coronavirus in hospital.

Now, there have been calls for Sir Tom to be honoured with a memorial on the Fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square or to receive a stone in Westminster Abbey.

Sir Tom could have a statue built in his honour (Credit: w8media / SplashNews.com)

What did Matt Hancock say about a Captain Sir Tom Moore memorial?

Now, the Health Secretary has said he hopes the government will “find the way permanently to honour his contribution to the NHS”.

Read more: Captain Sir Tom Moore clap: Boris Johnson to lead national tribute for fundraising hero

He told BBC Radio 4: “I hope that at the right time we will find the way permanently to honour his contribution to the NHS.

Hancock at Downing Street
The government will “find a way to honour” Sir Tom (Credit: SplashNews.com)

“He became to symbolise something and something that we all needed to see – that cheerful resilience in the face of difficulty and adversity and the fact that everybody do what they can.”

I hope that at the right time we will find the way permanently to honour his contribution to the NHS.

Meanwhile, Mr Hancock was later asked whether a statue might be built in Sir Tom’s hometown, where he was born or in London.

He told LBC: “Yes, I do think that we should find a way, at the right time, to honour the contribution that he made to the NHS and he was an inspiration to so many people.”

Carol Vorderman on GMB
Carol said Tom should have a stone in Westminster Abbey (Credit: ITV)

Earlier today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a national clap in tribute to Sir Tom.

On Wednesday (February 3) at 6pm, the nation’s encouraged to clap for the war veteran following his death.

Mr Johnson said that the clap will also be for “all those health workers for whom he raised money”.

On Wednesday, Carol Vorderman called for Tom to have a stone in Westminster Abbey.

boris johnson 2020
The prime minister will lead a national clip for Sir Tom tonight (Credit: SplashNews.com)

Carol Vorderman calls for statue

Carol said on Good Morning Britain: “I think he deserves a stone in Westminster Abbey because I think he embodies this whole terrible pandemic that we are all living through.

“So many have lost their grandmas and their grandads, their fathers and their mothers, their sisters, their brothers and I think he embodies that and I think we loved him.

“I think we have genuinely fallen in love with Captain Sir Tom.”

Poster

In addition, Nick Knowles said he thinks Sir Tom should have a statue.

He told the PA news agency: “We have been wondering what to do with the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square for a long time.

Read more: Captain Sir Tom Moore’s extraordinarily inspiring attitude towards his own death

“Maybe we have finally decided what we should actually do with the fourth plinth. Maybe have a picture of Captain Tom up there.

“We could give him a wave every time we pass through the capital.”

Leave your tributes to Sir Tom on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.


Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)