Hampshire minister Kit Malthouse has tested positive for Covid

Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire who also serves as policing minister in the government, announced the news on Twitter on Saturday evening.

He said that he tested positive despite having no symptoms on Monday, adding that he "feels lucky" to still be symptom free.

Occasionally need to be in Westminster, so took care with several precautionary covid tests.

On Monday morning, no symptoms, but tested positive. Fortunately no in person meetings had taken place.

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— Kit Malthouse MP (@kitmalthouse) March 20, 2021

Departed promptly by own car, brilliant team sent home as precaution, Whip and Home Sec office informed. Juliana downs tools, retrieves kids from school, all into isolation until Friday.

Team all OK and not pinged. Feeling lucky to still be symptom free with 5 days to go.

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— Kit Malthouse MP (@kitmalthouse) March 20, 2021

Mr Malthouse had taken "several precautionary" Covid tests because he needed to be in Westminster for work.

No in person meetings had taken place in the run up to his positive result, he said on Twitter, adding that he left in his own car and his wife Juliana collected his children from school.

They are now in self-isolation until Friday.

Mr Malthouse was elected as MP for North West Hampshire in 2015, after serving as deputy mayor of London under Boris Johnson.

He was promoted to government in 2018 by Theresa May, before becoming policing minister in July 2019.

The Sunday Times reported last year that he could be set to replace Priti Patel as home secretary in 2021. The role is one of the four 'great offices of state' and would see him become one of Boris Johnson's most senior cabinet ministers.