Fareham MP defends tweet backing Dominic Cummings
THE MP for Fareham, attorney general Suella Braverman, has defended her tweet backing Dominic Cummings – saying the claim she offered a legal opinion is ‘absurd’.
Mrs Braverman faced shadow solicitor general Ellie Reeves in parliament this week, who said the attorney general had undermined the rule of law with a tweet supporting the prime minister’s beleaguered aide, Dominic Cummings.
It follows Mr Cummings coming under fire for a 270-mile journey to his family’s estate in County Durham during the start of the nationwide lockdown, with Mrs Braverman being one of several ministers to defend him online.
She tweeted: ‘Protecting one’s family is what any good parent does. The @10DowningStreet statement clarifies the situation and it is wholly inappropriate to politicise it.’
But yesterday Ms Reeves accused the Fareham MP – who became attorney general in February – of undermining the rule of law.
She said: ‘Can the attorney general confirm that in assault cases, as in all other Covid-related offences, the law should apply equally to all, and as superintendent of the CPS, by tweeting her support for Dominic Cummings she undermined the impartiality of her role and the rule of law?’
It was ‘simply absurd’ to suggest the tweet amounted to a public legal view on the matter, according to Mrs Braverman.
She replied: ‘It’s plain for any reasonable observer to see that there was no question whatsoever of me having provided any public legal view on the matter to which she refers.
‘To suggest that was somehow a legal opinion is simply absurd.
‘I respect and have full confidence in the operational independence of the CPS and the police.’