UK PM Boris Johnson defends aide who drove 400km during lockdown

Dominic Cummings, special advisor for Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, leaves 10 Downing Street on Sunday. Picture: Henry Nicholls/Reuters

Dominic Cummings, special advisor for Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, leaves 10 Downing Street on Sunday. Picture: Henry Nicholls/Reuters

Published May 24, 2020

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London  - British Prime Minister Boris

Johnson backed his senior adviser Dominic Cummings on Sunday,

despite calls from within his own Conservative Party for the

aide to resign for driving 400km during the coronavirus

lockdown.

Cummings, architect of the 2016 campaign to leave the EU,

came under pressure when newspapers reported he had travelled

from London to northern England in March when his wife was ill

with Covid-19 symptoms during a nationwide lockdown.

With Johnson's words that he had acted with integrity,

Cummings was safe, at least for now. But the row in the

governing Conservatives looks set to rumble on.

"I've had extensive face-to-face conversations with Dominic

Cummings," Johnson told a news conference, saying his aide had

followed the "instincts of every father" when he travelled with

his wife for help with childcare while isolating.

"I believe that in every respect he has acted responsibly

and legally and with integrity."

Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party,

described Johnson's decision to take no action against Cummings

as "an insult to the sacrifices made by the British people".

"This was a test of the prime minister and he has failed

it," Starmer said in a statement.

A divisive figure, Cummings is seen by allies and enemies

alike as Johnson's most important and influential strategist.

Over the weekend, Downing Street and senior ministers all

backed him, an early signal of their reluctance to succumb to

the demands from several Conservatives, who said they had

received angry messages from voters over the trips.

Johnson's office said Cummings made the 400km journey after his wife showed symptoms, to ensure his 4-year-old

son could be properly cared for by relatives if he too fell ill.

The newspapers have since reported that Cummings was seen in

northern England on other occasions. The government has denied

this and Johnson did not answer a question about whether he knew

about the additional trips.

The trips have fuelled anger among the millions who have

stuck to the government's coronavirus guidelines that a person

who displays symptoms must stay home for seven days, with the

rest of that person's household doing the same for 14 days.

Johnson said he understood "why people might feel so

confused" but "really having looked at what happened, I really

think most people will understand what he was doing."

Some Conservatives broke ranks on Sunday to call for

Cummings to go. Several said they had been inundated with

messages from furious constituents who had obeyed the rules

under great personal hardship.

"As much as I despise any baying pitchfork-led trials by

social media, I'm unconvinced by the PM's defence of Cummings,"

tweeted Conservative lawmaker David Warburton.

One prominent Conservative activist, Tim Montgomerie, said

on Twitter: "Tonight, I'm really embarrassed to have ever backed

Boris Johnson for high office." 

Reuters

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