Dominic Cummings, a senior aide of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has become embroiled a coronavirus scandal, wherein he is accused of flouting his own administration’s restrictions on movement and social distancing.
The PM’s most senior advisor drove 260 miles from his home in London to visit his parents in Durham during March. Moreover, the Observer and the Sunday Mirror allege that he did not remain indoors during his stay in Durham, and that he made yet another trip to Durham after returning to London in April.
Yesterday, in a press conference, Cummings confirmed that he did visit his parents in March, and said he had “justifiable reasons” for not staying indoors. He also admitted to driving 30 miles to Barnard Castle during his stay in Durham, which he said he did to “test his eyesight” prior to returning to London. He said he did not visit the castle or traverse the town, but did admit to walking to a nearby riverbank to gather his senses before he re-entered his vehicle. However, he denied making a second trip to Durham after he returned to London. Cummings said he acted “reasonably and legally” and that he did not “regret” his actions.
On March 23, the PM warned citizens to “stay at home” and not meet friends or family members they don’t live with, while also telling those with symptoms to self-isolate. However, on March 27, Cummings’ wife fell ill and drove to Durham with his family. On March 28, Cummings woke up with coronavirus symptoms. Yet, while he was ill, he drove to the hospital to pick up his son, and even went for a walk outside his parents’ house, where he was spotted by members of the public, despite the minimum 14-day self-isolation period.
The public and members of the opposition have decried what appears to be one set of rules for politicians, and another for the rest of the population. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has urged a Cabinet Office inquiry, arguing that the PM had “failed a huge test”, in that allowing Cummings to maintain his post is tantamount to “treating the British public with contempt”. Both the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Liberal Democrats have also echoed Starmer’s calls, and have asked Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill to launch an investigation into the matter. In fact, Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon called on Cummings to step down.
However, while the PM expressed regret for the “confusion and anger” caused by the events, he stood firmly behind Cummings, saying he acted “legally and reasonably”. Cummings himself has responded to the criticism saying that the media has blown the issue of proportion and was to blame for public anger, saying, “If you are sitting at home watching the media over the last three days, I think lots of people would be angry and I completely understand that.”
As public anger and political opposition mounts, it will be interesting to see whether the Prime Minister cows under the pressure. When asked whether Cummings enjoys his “unconditional support”, the PM said, “I can't give any unconditional backing to anybody, but I do not believe that anybody in No 10 has done anything to undermine our messaging.”
In April, Scotland’s chief medical officer, Dr. Catherine Calderwood, apologized and quit for visiting a location more than an hour’s drive away from her home in Edinburgh. While Nicola Sturgeon initially backed her, Sturgeon is now using that incident to highlight why Cummings should resign as well, in order to ensure consistency in governance. It remains to be seen whether the Cummings scandal will follow the same trajectory.
UK PM Senior Aide Dominic Cummings Refuses to Apologize For Breaking COVID-19 Restrictions
Members of the public and the opposition are calling for Cummings to resign or be sacked.
May 26, 2020
CHRIS J RATCLIFFE / GETTY IMAGES