Calls for UK PM aide to resign after lockdown travel

Opposition MPs are calling for Dominic Cummings to resign if he is found to have broken the lockdown guidance after travelling 250 miles from London to Durham when he had Covid-19 symptoms.

The prime minister’s chief aide and his wife, who was also unwell, stayed at his parents’ home while self-isolating.

Labour demanded No 10 provide a “swift explanation” for Mr Cummings’ actions.

A source close to Mr Cummings denied a breach of the coronavirus rules, saying the couple needed childcare help.

They added the couple had stayed in a separate building at the property.

Downing Street declined to comment on Friday night after the story was first reported in the Guardian and the Daily Mirror newspapers.

But a Labour spokesman said: “If accurate, the prime minister’s chief adviser appears to have breached the lockdown rules. The government’s guidance was very clear: stay at home and no non-essential travel.

“The British people do not expect there to be one rule for them and another rule for Dominic Cummings.”

The Scottish National Party’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford said Mr Cummings should resign or be dismissed by Mr Johnson and that it was a “key test of leadership” for the prime minister.

Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, added: “If Dominic Cummings has broken the guidelines he will have to resign, it is as simple as that.”

And speaking on BBC Newsnight, former Conservative MP David Liddington, who was de facto deputy PM under Theresa May, told BBC Newsnight: “There’s clearly serious questions that No 10 are going to have to address not least because the readiness of members of the public to follow government guidance more generally is going to be affected by this sort of story.”

On 30 March, it was reported that Mr Cummings, the former Vote Leave chief who was the architect of the PM’s Brexit strategy, had developed symptoms of the coronavirus and was self-isolating at home.

In a statement, Durham Police said: “On Tuesday, March 31, 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.

“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 guidelines around self-isolation and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel.”

The source close to Mr Cummings told the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg he had not been spoken to by officers and had made the trip because his parents could help care for his young child while he and his wife were both ill with symptoms of coronavirus.
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Analysis

At the time Dominic Cummings had coronavirus symptoms, there was only a limited set of reasons for which people were allowed to leave their homes.

And the advice for anyone was – and is – not to leave home at all for at least seven days.

Remember there have already been other senior figures involved in tackling the pandemic who have had to resign for breaching lockdown restrictions – Scotland’s former Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood and leading scientist Prof Neil Ferguson, who was advising the government.

A source close to Dominic Cummings is insistent that he didn’t break the rules.

But for those at the top to be perceived to even be stretching the rules is damaging.

Along with triggering accusations of hypocrisy, it risks prompting people to question why they should be following the rules, if those involved in imposing them are not.

Government advice on 31 March was for the public to stay at home and only leave their address for clearly defined reasons, including to exercise, essential shopping or for medical needs.

At the time – and as remains the case – those with symptoms of coronavirus are told to self-isolate at home and not leave even for essential supplies, if possible, for seven days.

Earlier in that month, the prime minister said in a speech that “children should not be left with older grandparents, or older relatives, who may be particularly vulnerable or fall into some of the vulnerable groups”.

Mr Cummings, 48, wrote about his experience of self-isolating with his wife, Mary Wakefield, in the Spectator magazine.

He said that “at the end of March and for the first two weeks of April I was ill, so we were both shut in together”.

At the time Mr Johnson’s positive test result for coronavirus was announced on 27 March, Downing Street said that Mr Cummings was not unwell. But within days it was confirmed that the strategist had started displaying coronavirus symptoms.

Mr Cummings was next photographed at Downing Street on 14 April after his recovery.

Source: BBC

Boris Johnson will address the nation from Downing Street on Sunday evening, setting out the next steps in England’s coronavirus response.

While No 10 is giving little away, many of us are looking for updates on when children will return to school, how the government plans to get the economy moving, and how we can stay safe when travelling and working.

The PM is expected to announce the launch of an alert system for tracking coronavirus in England, and to set out a “roadmap, a menu of options” – in his words – for how England might begin to ease the current lockdown.

Mr Johnson has already unveiled a new slogan, telling the public to “stay alert, control the virus, save lives”.

It’s worth pointing out the lockdown has already been extended for another three weeks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to 28 May.

That’s one of the reasons it’s seen as being unlikely Mr Johnson will announce immediate alterations to restrictions in England.

So with all that in mind, what should we be looking out for in Mr Johnson’s speech?

1. An update on the five tests

The PM has said a series of tests must be satisfied before lockdown measures are adjusted.

We’re likely to hear more about them on Sunday – and perhaps receive an update on progress towards meeting them.

Will Boris Johnson update us on the progress so far?

1Making sure NHS can cope
2A ‘sustained and consistent’ fall in death rate
3Infection rate decreases to ‘manageable levels’
4Supply of tests and PPE meets future demand
5Adjustments don’t risk a second peak

Source: 10 Downing Street

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What is a “manageable level” of new cases? Is the death rate falling in a “sustained and consistent” way? We’ve a longer explanation of the five tests here.

2. Mention of the ‘R’ number

This is a technical term for how fast the virus is spreading in the UK.

If the “R” number is one, that means one person with the virus passes it to one other person. Experts have said “R” is currently at or below one in the UK – and keeping it there is the aim.

Mr Johnson could explain which adjustments risk increasing “R” above one, and which don’t.

3. A decision on garden centres?

One of the only things we do know ahead of the speech is that garden centres in England will be allowed to reopen with distancing measures in place from next week, according to a senior government source.

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has said garden centres in Wales will be able to reopen next week.

Mr Drakeford said on Saturday this is “very much in line” with Mr Johnson’s plans – so expect to hear something similar from the PM.

4. Maybe more outdoor exercise

Another decision in Wales could signal what’s to come in Mr Johnson’s speech – Mark Drakeford announced that people in Wales would be able to leave home to exercise as much as they want from Monday.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Sunday that people in Scotland would also be able to leave home to exercise more than once a day from Monday, but that she was not prepared to change any other guidance at the moment.

Guidance on the UK government’s website limits outdoor exercise to once a day, alone or with members of your household.

5. Who might go back to work first

Mr Johnson has said Sunday’s speech will give more detail on how to “get our economy moving”.

There’s no solid information on this, but Mr Johnson may talk about helping employers observe social distancing guidelines.

We might hear a bit about how certain industries, like construction, for instance, can begin to restart.

And then there’s the furlough scheme – will the government keep paying workers’ wages?

6. A clear message on schools

There have been lots of different thoughts aired about how schools might return to normal.

Mark Drakeford said on Saturday that schools in Wales would not be re-opening to the majority of pupils in June. Will Mr Johnson say something similar?

Either way, any changes involving schools will be “extremely cautious” and “painstaking”, according to England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam.

7. Measures for commuters and travellers

There’s some confusion here, too.

Airports on Saturday suggested all people arriving into the UK will need to quarantine for 14 days at a registered address. Will Mr Johnson confirm this and give us more details?

There are also questions about how commuters may be able to travel safely once lockdown is eased.

Speaking on Saturday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said there was a chance for a “once in a generation change” to the way we travel as he unveiled a package of measures to encourage cycling and walking.

8. Advice on face masks

Mr Johnson said on 30 April face masks might be “useful” for helping the country come out of lockdown.

The government’s science advisers have given evidence on face coverings to ministers – and they’re recommended in Scotland for certain situations – will the PM say whether the public in England should use them?

9. Social bubbles

Will we be able to meet up with small groups of family and friends? That’s the question many of us want answered.

But the changes to restrictions that Mr Johnson might confirm on Sunday are unlikely to offer an immediate solution.

Some people have been wondering if pubs with beer gardens might be allowed to open – but would it be possible to make that work?

And what about sport? The PM may give us an update on the Premier League’s so-called “Project Restart” to recommence football matches behind closed doors for audiences at home.

We may get also some ideas about how the government plans to get mosques, churches and temples back up and running.

Just a quick note on devolution. While he’s the UK prime minister, any measures or policies Mr Johnson may announce on Sunday will only apply to England.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have the power to make their own decisions on lockdown regulations – and while leaders have said they want to broadly move together as one in the coming months – they may do so at different speeds.

Source: BBC

Tag: UK Prime Minister