BBC Radio Ulster’s Nuala McKeever was caught on mic yesterday shortly before Dominic Cummings’ press conference describing the senior Number 10 aide as “such a dick”. During yesterday’s 3pm news bulletin, McKeever’s microphone repeatedly cut across and she was caught out saying: “I was thinking he was such a dick I had written his name down as Richard Cummings”
Last night the BBC told the Belfast Telegraph that McKeever regretted any upset caused:
“The comments were not intended for broadcast and should not have been… We very much regret what happened and the upset caused.”
As she opened the afternoon show on Tuesday, she did not broach the blunder, telling listeners,“Welcome to the show… I’m saying nothing”.
Ms McKeever has been covering for presenter Lynette Fay on BBC Radio Ulster’s afternoon magazine show.
‘Cummings defence’
Reasons Dominic Cummings gave for his alleged breach of lockdown rules could be used “endlessly” in court to debate what constitutes a reasonable excuse, a lawyer has warned.
Raj Chada, head of the criminal defence department and a partner at firm Hodge Jones and Allen, said explanations given by Mr Cummings would not set any formal precedent and would not mean people could automatically appeal against fines or convictions, but reiterated concerns the regulations put in place are “vague” and “subject to challenge”.
He told the PA news agency: “However, it will be used in court endlessly about what ‘reasonable excuse’ constitutes.
“A client will say in court, ‘I had childcare difficulties just like Dominic Cummings’.
“I think that it means that the police are going to be very cautious about issuing fixed penalty notices (FPNs), that clients are going to contest and that could result in more trials about ‘what is a reasonable excuse.”
Kirsty Brimelow QC, a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, said the enforcement of lockdown laws in the UK required a “degree of co-operation”, adding: “There also is a social contract where people respect and trust the institutions that had made the law.”
But she told PA: “The difficulty is when that trust breaks down, people no longer see why they should play their part.
“The justification put forward by Mr Cummings for breaching the Government’s own guidance – of which there is no doubt – undermines trust.”
Listen here
Related – The government’s ‘stay alert’ slogan is actually an anagram of something else
Since you are here
Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.
Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.
Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.
If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.
To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.
The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.
The shop can be found here.
You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .
