Number 10 has decided to block anymore questions about Dominic Cummings apparent breaches of lockdown rules, claiming he has given a “full and detailed account”.
Cummings’s extraordinary press conference yesterday didn’t dampen the story but has raised fresh criticism of his actions – including his day trip to Barnard Castle and his decision to return to London, after medical advice he claimed. A new YouGov poll revealing 59 per cent of the public believes the aide should be sacked – up from 52 per cent at the weekend, but that seems to have made little difference at the power centre of Government.
However, the prime minister’s spokesman insisted it was not his job to answer further questions, about a special adviser, saying: “There is nothing for me to add,” reports The Independent
Pressure
Boris Johnson has been hit with a ministerial resignation and faced mounting backbench anger over the actions of his senior adviser, Dominic Cummings.
Douglas Ross, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for Scotland, said on Tuesday that he was quitting after hearing Mr Cummings’ efforts to defend his trip from London to Durham despite the coronavirus lockdown.
The first resignation over the allegations rocking the Government came as Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove sought to defend his longstanding ally as having acted in an “entirely reasonable” way, and within the law.
But Mr Ross, the MP for Moray, said: “I have constituents who didn’t get to say goodbye to loved ones; families who could not mourn together; people who didn’t visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the Government.
“I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior adviser to the Government was right.”
Downing Street insisted the PM had not split the Government by backing Mr Cummings amid concerns over how the decision will affect the public, police and health workers during the pandemic.
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