Storm over British PM’S chief adviser violating lockdown
Boris Johnson government was on Saturday caught in a maelstrom over the prime minister’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings allegedly flouting lockdown rules, with the opposition and others baying for his resignation and cabinet ministers defending him.
Not observing curbs imposed due to the pandemic has led to at least two high-profile resignations in recent days: epidemiologist Neil Ferguson resigned from a key government committee and Catherine Calderwood as the chief medical officer of Scotland.
Cummings, who developed Covid-19 symptoms in March end, drove 425km from London to his parents’ house in Durham, northeast England, when official instruction to Britons was to stay home, not travel and not visit elderly relatives to prevent the spread of the virus.
The revelation prompted expressions of fury on social media from people who followed official advice and were for weeks deprived of contact with family and close relatives, even when many were dying.
Facing demands for Cummings’ resignation, Downing Street defended his actions, besides cabinet ministers such as chancellor Rishi Sunak, foreign secretary Dominic Raab and others. They also said that they wouldn’t want the opposition to politicise the issue.
A Downing Street spokesman said, “Owing to his wife being infected with suspected coronavirus and the high likelihood that he would himself become unwell, it was essential for Dominic Cummings to ensure his young child could be properly cared for. “His sister and nieces had volunteered to help, so he went to a house separate from his extended family. His sister shopped for the family and left everything outside.”
The No 10 spokesman also said, “At no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter, as is being reported. His actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines. Mr Cummings believes he behaved reasonably and legally.”
But police said: “Given the whole ethos of the regulations designed to reduce the spread, regardless of reason, by travelling to Durham when known to be infected was most unwise”.