‘How can we trust any of them now?’
A COUNTY Durham son who has been unable to comfort his grieving dad after the death of his mum has slammed the Prime Minister’s right-hand man for “flouting lockdown rules.”
Andrew Guthrie, 51, from Lanchester, called Dominic Cumming’s actions “despicable” after it was reported he drove 260 miles to Durham to stay near family.
The furious dad-of-one is just one of many residents across the county who have been able to see family and loved ones during the coronavirus pandemic.
His mam Joyce, 74, had been battling ovarian cancer for three years and tragically died from a pulmonary embolism in January.
And after the lockdown was put in place in March, Andrew has been unable to help his dad Michael, 77, with the grief of losing his wife of 60 years.
Andrew said: “I just thought it was despicable, this is supposed to be a man who’s helping to get this country through this, it’s just disgraceful. It’s been really difficult for me not to see my dad and go out with him or just go to the pub with him. He was married to my mam for 60 years, they did everything together, they went on cruises around the world and now she’s not there anymore. I ring him every day and I drop off things at his house but it’s just not the same.
“I would love to go out with him and just hug him or even just to sit in the same room as him.
“There are people who are going through so much worse than me and I’m angry for them too.”
Andrew, who is a support worker for adults with learning difficulties, still goes out to work and understands the importance of following government guidance.
But he said he was left “furious” after it appeared the Prime Minister’s top aide broke lockdown rules when national orders were to “stay at home”.
He said: “We put our trust in our government to get us through this, how can we trust any of them now?”