Mum’s sympathy for PM’s chief aide
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.
Amid mounting anger and plummeting poll ratings, 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 Mr Cummings may have committed “a minor breach” of coronavirus lockdown rules when he made the 50-mile round trip to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight after it was affected by Covid-19.
More than 40 Tory MPs across the country are calling for Mr Cummings to resign or face the sack.
Yet one mum – who had to isolate at home for two weeks with her two sons after contracting coronavirus – has sympathy for him.
Freema Chambers, who suffered from the first stages of coronavirus, isolated at home with her sons Jarvis, 16, and Nixon, 10, and even kept herself in her room away for her boys to protect them from the virus.
Boris Johnson
After watching Mr Cummings’ press conference, where he stated he behaved “reasonably” and did not regret his actions, Freema said she understands his decision.
The 46-year-old mum, from Cramlington, Northumberland, said: “At first when the story broke I did feel angry and upset as I struggled with keeping my children isolated and being away from them.
“However, if I had the means of
Dominic Cummings
having a cottage on my parents’ estate and could isolate from them but be close enough for them to take care of the children I probably would have done the same.
“At the time I was scared for my kids and thought if it gets any worse what would my boys do.
“I was lucky as my boys are older but to have little ones and for him and his wife to become seriously ill, it must have been scary.”
While battling coronavirus, Freema considered reaching out to her 28-year-old sister, who is on furlough and living alone in Manchester.
Freema added: “I can really understand what he did. When I was really ill I had to decide who was the best candidate I knew to look after my kids, I could not have left them alone and go into hospital.
“I was not well enough to drive to Manchester by the time I realised my cough was serious - but if I had realised how serious it was earlier I would have definitely been in touch for her to travel to me to protect my boys.
“One thing which stopped me from getting help from my sister was what people would say about it.
“I think that is what gave my sympathy to Dominic Cummings from the negative handling from the national press. Anyone who has the virus knows it is a huge emotional thing you are going through as you don’t know what will happen.
“No one knows his support network and although he drove a long distance his family may have been the only people there who he could trust to look after his child if the worst-case scenario was to happen.
“I am sure most people would do the same.
“I am not saying what he did was right but I think under the circumstances of the Covid crisis, when it comes down to it being a basic human you don’t know what is right or wrong.”
Although she sympathises with Mr Cummings, Freema now worries about the backlash of his decision and how this will affect the public’s view on following social distancing guidance.
She said: “I have seen people flouting guidelines all over the place and he did it to protect his family.
“It is a worry now about the effect it is going to have on how everyone deals with lockdown, people may ignore it or Boris Johnson might relieve lockdown earlier.
“Emotions are running high, especially for those who have family members, so it must be a kick in the teeth for them.”