Man creates video game spoofing Cummings’

First Minister urges people to still respect the rules in place

BORIS Johnson is standing by his chief aide Dominic Cummings despite the police saying they would have taken action if they had stopped him on his journey to Barnard Castle.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister “regards this issue as closed” after Durham Constabulary said it did not intend to take “retrospective action”.

The police found that Mr Cummings may have committed “a minor breach” of coronavirus lockdown rules when he drove the 50-mile round trip to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight after it was affected by Covid-19.

However, the force said that had a police officer stopped the aide they would have “likely advised Mr Cummings to return to the address in Durham, providing advice on the dangers of travelling during the pandemic crisis”.

NICOLA Sturgeon said she expects “emotional reunions” as lockdown is eased today but has asked people to stick to within the new rules.

Phase one of exiting lockdown started today and people can now meet with one other household at a time but only outdoors and still at a distance.

Ms Sturgeon said the virus had been suppressed enough to make some changes but she emphasised “Lockdown is not over”.

You can now meet up in a garden or park with one other household up to a maximum of eight people, but preferably fewer.

The First Minister said it does not mean picking just one household to meet with but only one other household at a time and with preferably only one a day, although that is not a legal requirement.

She said: “I am sure there will be lots of emotional reunions.

“We have all waited a long time for this but please respect the parameters.”

With the first meaningful changes to lockdown since restrictions were imposed in March, Ms Sturgeon said she did not want people to think it is okay to abandon social distancing and said the virus is still very much with us.

She said: “The only reason we can make any changes is we have made progress in suppressing the virus and that is down to the sacrifices you have made.”

Ms Sturgeon said the changes were cautious and she admitted to being “nervous” about introducing them.

She said “No changes are risk free. There are no certainties.

“I don’t mind admitting to being a bit nervous. I worry that that changes may lead to greater changes in reality.”

A MAN whose partner has incurable cancer has channelled his anguish at seeing people breaking lockdown rules into making a video game spoofing Dominic Cummings’ visit to Barnard Castle.

Stevie Brown’s partner, Kerry Newman, 38, is isolating in the house where they live with their two children in Hamilton unable to leave because her illness she has what doctors believe is secondary breast cancer in her pericardium – makes her high risk for Covid-19.

He said: “If Kerry gets sick – because the cancer’s in her blood she’s extremely high risk – if she gets sick, the chances of her dying are extremely high.”

Ms Newman was in hospital until Monday, having surgery to stop fluid building up around her heart, and Mr Brown and the couple’s children were unable to go and visit her.

Mr Brown, 39, said her life expectancy “isn’t great” and he wants to be able to