Notts MPs react as Dominic Cummings rejects lockdown breach media allegations

Several Nottingham and Nottinghamshire MPs have spoken out after Dominic Cummings rejected suggestions he had broken lockdown restrictions.

The eurosceptic has returned to the headlines due to a trip to Durham when he was ill with Covid-19.

Opposition party leaders today urged Boris Johnson to sack his senior advisor.

Meanwhile, several Tory MPs have made public declarations for Cummings to leave.

Among those stating Cummings should go, include a number of backbenchers and influential MPs such as the former European Research Group chairman, Steve Baker.

He said: “If he doesn’t resign we will just keep burning through Boris’ political capital at a rate we can ill afford in the midst of this crisis. 

ā€œIt is very clear that Dominic travelled when everyone else understood Dominic’s slogans to mean stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.ā€

What do we know happened?

In a never-before-seen moment, the Prime Minister’s chief advisor faced the media to respond to accusations he had breached lockdown rules.

Speaking for over well over an hour, Cummings outlined the facts of his trip to Durham.

During his statement, he said he had:

  • travelled from work, in Westminster, to his home on 27 March after his wife fell ill. He returned to work hours later
  • driven his wife and son from London to County Durham that evening
  • stayed at a cottage on his parents’ farm
  • on 28 March developed Covid symptoms
  • on 3 April, picked up his wife and son from hospital, where his son had stayed overnight after he “threw up and had a bad fever”
  • driven around 30 minutes from his family home to the town of Barnard Castle on 12 April – 15 days after he had displayed symptoms – in an effort to test his eyesight ahead of driving back to London
  • returned to London on 13 April

What have Notts MPs said?

As a county, Nottinghamshire is split into 11 constituencies – three preside over Nottingham.

Labour hold just three seats in the county – Nottingham East (Nadia Whittome), Nottingham North (Alex Norris) and Nottingham South (Lilian Greenwood) – the rest are held by Conservatives.

Ms Whittome tweeted: “My inbox is full of constituentsā€™ boiling with rage, hurt and injustice.

“Theyā€™ve grieved alone for close family members, somehow held it together caring for toddlers in substandard housing, some are suicidal.

“However unbearable, they stayed at home to protect public health.”

Mr Norris chose not to share his own personal viewpoint. Instead he opted to retweet messages from party leader Sir Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy.

Lilian Greenwood, meanwhile, called Cummings’ actions “reckless and selfish” and that the Prime Minister has “completely lost the trust of the British people.”

As were many people, Tory MPs said they were angry to start with after reading the media allegations but, now the facts have been made clear, they have provided their support to the advisor.

Ben Bradley, MP for Mansfield, said he was “sceptical […] but on hearing his account I have concluded that he acted reasonably.”

He added: “We take decisions for our kids; those decisions are not always perfect.

“He’s accepted he could have done things differently, but he had to take decisions.”

Ruth Edwards, MP for Rushcliffe, described Cummings’ statement as “the words of a husband and father who had tried to do the best for his family in very stressful circumstances.”

Brendan Clarke-Smith added: “Dominic Cummings was brave, came across as human and people will be able to empathise with what he said.

“He is a father and a husband who did what he believed was right.

“We’ve all had to use our personal judgement and common sense throughout this crisis.”

Who is Dominic Cummings?

Dominic Cummings is one of a number of special advisors (SpAds).

Their role is to provide party political information to leading members of the Government that civil servants would be unable to do.

They are appointed by Cabinet ministers but approved by the Prime Minister.

Cummings’ name first made headlines for his controversial role within the Brexit campaign. He is known to be the man who devised the ‘Take Back Control’ message for the Vote Leave campaign.

He previously served Michael Gove when the now Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was education secretary.

He is also known to be a strong opponent of how Government is currently operated and has a history of rubbing up people, on both sides of the political agenda, the wrong way.

By Matthew Lee

Featured photo credit: Telegraph.

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