Who cares how it looks, I did right thing

DOMINIC CUMMINGS issued an extraordinary retort to his critics yesterday, insisting his behaviour was reasonable and asking: ‘Who cares how it looks?’

The Prime Minister’s top adviser emerged from his North London home to be assailed by questions about his decision to flout the Government’s own lockdown rules and travel to the home of his elderly parents in County Durham with his wife and four-year-old son.

First, he took a swipe at the assembled reporters, saying: ‘You’re supposed to be more than two metres apart.’

And after being asked if he would resign, he snapped back: ‘Obviously not.’ To another questioner, he said: ‘I behaved reasonably and legally. Who cares how it looks? It’s about doing the right thing.’

His allies pointed to a comment from deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries on March 24, when she was asked at the daily coronavirus press briefing what parents should do if both fall ill.

‘A small child is vulnerable. If adults cannot look after the child, that is an exceptional circumstance,’ she said.

It was on March 27 that Mr Cummings was filmed running out of Downing Street. News had just broken that both Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock had tested positive for coronavirus.

It transpired that Mr Cummings was racing home to North London that afternoon to tend to his wife Mary, who was laid up with Covid symptoms. He too would fall ill the following day.

Four days later, Mr Cummings was said by No 10 to be selfisolating ‘at home’, but that same day Durham police apparently investigated reports he was staying on their patch.

‘Our officers were made aware of reports that an individual had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city,’ the force said in a statement. It continued: ‘Officers made contact with the owners of that address who confirmed that the individual in question was present and was self-isolating in part of the house. In line with national policing guidance, officers explained to the family the arrangements around self-isolation guidelines and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel.’

But No10 denied this yesterday, saying: ‘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.’

So, who is telling the truth? The Mail on Sunday asked Durham Constabulary a series of questions. Standing by its version of events, a force spokesman last night reissued its original statement, adding: ‘I am not in a position to elaborate any further on the statement.’

Durham’s acting police and crime commissioner, Steven White, issued a statement saying the force had ‘acted appropriately’ and that Mr Cummings’s journey from London had been ‘most unwise’.

‘His actions were in line with guidelines’