I have been contacted by a number of constituents who have shared their views on the decision of the Prime Minister’s advisor, Dominic Cummings to isolate his family in a building on his father’s farm in Durham. He believes he followed the guidance by making provisions to ensure his four-year-old child would have childcare if both he and his wife became incapacitated (the guidance did offer this as one of the exceptions allowable).
Those who have contacted me hold a mix of opinions, although there does seem to be a general agreement that Mr Cummings’ judgement on this has been poor and he didn’t consider how his choices would be perceived.
We are in the middle of the worst health and financial crisis this country has faced since the war. Unfortunately, the Dominic Cummings saga has become a distraction from the very urgent issues facing the country. We cannot allow crucial messaging and public understanding to be clouded by this, and for that reason I feel it is time Mr Cummings stood aside so that the government can dedicate all its resources to managing the pandemic and our way out of it.
This has been an unpleasant episode. The insistence that Cummings should resign has become an obsession and any balanced perspective on his actions has been impossible. The remarks of some are politically driven and show a nastiness that loses any semblance of an argument. Some of these same people, have forgotten their anger at the mainstream media for hounding Jeremy Corbyn when he was mired in the anti-Semitism allegations. They have forgotten the untrue Guardian front page claiming the police had talked to Dominic Cummings about breaking lockdown rules. Or even the Mirror’s follow up claim that Mr Cummings had driven to Durham for a second time, which was also untrue.
I believed it was only fair for an explanation to be given by Mr Cummings and we have now had that. Some people believe that my patience in waiting for the facts to emerge is the wrong thing to do and as such their anger is now directed at me. But I stand by what I said about children. Most parents would do whatever it takes to keep their children safe and in all the emails I have received on this subject just two people mention the Cummings’ son.
It seems sad that at times like this basic human decency goes out the window. Whether people like Mr Cummings or not, he has a wife and young family. How do we think they feel right now? A media scrum on their doorstep and constant online abuse. Not forgetting that they watched their four year old son being taken away in an ambulance with suspected Covid-19. I wonder why that went unmentioned by the media yesterday, perhaps because that would make Dominic Cummings the same as the rest of us: human.
There have been signs during this troubling period for our country that we can work together, that people do care and that people will go to extraordinary lengths to preserve our way of life, care for and protect others. Perhaps that should include a little bit of compassion for people like Mr Cummings and his family, who are not perfect, but who believe they are doing the right thing.
The government will continue working night and day to find the very best way to keep us all safe, ensure food supplies are not disrupted, ease restrictions as quickly as possible, protect the most vulnerable, save jobs and pay workers until they can go back to their jobs and normality. There have been huge sacrifices made by so many people and I don’t see us ever forgetting that. The lockdown cannot go on indefinitely but the government is doing all it can to reunite you with your friends and family as quickly and safely as possible.
With the assistance of my office team, I have helped thousands of constituents over the past nine weeks and I will continue to focus on this key part of my job. I hope you can understand my views on Dominic Cummings and that this concludes my discussion on the matter.
Dominic Cummings needs to be sacked so that we can move on. It’s not good enough to say that’s all you’re going to say on the matter. Mps are elected and represent those who voted. Your party can easily be voted against if people feel strongly enough.
We were prepared to allow an honest error of human judgement made in panic to protect family, owned up to immediately and apologised for unreservedly. Mr Cummings has caused the backlash himself because he has shown, beyond doubt, that he lacks good judgement and integrity.
We all understand the need for the first trip due to the child care situation (even if it coincidentally happened during Easter weekend). But the second trip to Barnard Castle during his wife’s birthday was completely unjustified! MPs have been rallying around Cummings, defending him on the basis of this child care argument, but completely ignoring the reason given for the second trip, which is a complete nonesense! You expect your constituents to believe a road trip with the family during lockdown is justified if you have potential eyesight disabilities? Why didn’t his wife drive in the first place?!
Stop serving individuals and start doing your job for the British people that voted for you.
Thank you for a full and unambiguous reply
I fully appreciate that parents will do anything to protect their children, however Mr Cummings position within government and relationship with our Prime Minister means that he MUST follow the law and spirit of the guidance. I am very disappointed with the Prime Ministers actions which makes him look weak when we need him strong.
Shame on you Boris Johnson
Thank you for your reply await to see if Boris sacks him as he will not resign , more mps give same view as you then Boris must sack this idiot
Doug edwards, your votes are safe😂😂😂
Only 2 people mention there son because that’s not the issue,he drove his son and wife on a 60 mile round trip to test his eye sight,that’s another risk to life,it makes no sense who came up with that excuse for a day out on your wife’s birthday,and he can’t remember if he stopped or not on the way home the trust of the government is lost
I agree with many others that whilst I understand Mr Cummings made a misjudgement whilst he felt he was prioritising his family, his failure to show any humility or remorse for his actions ( which clearly went against the lockdown instructions the rest of the country were striving to follow) and his shameless unbelievable story about his trip to Barnard Castle insults the intelligence of the British people and makes a mockery of their adherence to the lockdown rules. Worse than that, this example is likely to undermine their adherence to the Covid strategy going forward. The honourable thing to do would have been to resign. Our prime minister’s failure to sack him does make Boris look terribly weak and overly and unhealthily dependant on his chief advisor.
I’m not happy when I see my government’s response to a matter about which the majority of people hold and have been expressing very strong views is to attack the media who are reporting this. I do not want our media to become a version of RT or CCTV.
I believe DC has undermined the very important next phase of track and trace,
He should have at least apologised for his decisions and I fear some of the public will not respect the new messages about Covid
The problem I have is that Dominic Cummings put his four year old son in the back of his car and drove a sixty mile round trip to check if eye sight was good enough to drive back to London.
Royston, I am deeply dissatisfied with your response. I have issue with Dominic Cummings going home to his wife who was ill and then returning to work a few hours later. I have issue with him driving 260 miles across the country with someone with covid symptoms. His own account is contradictory – He said he didn’t know it was covid in one breathe but then that they thought it was covid – hence the journey – in the next. Even if his wife had covid, his situation was not, in any way, exceptional – 1000s of parents have cared for their children at home while having covid as this government stated they should. I would like you to point me to the place in the guidance where his actions are allowed, because my understanding of the guidance is that that clause he – and you – have cited is for children at risk of abuse. I have particular issue with him driving 30miles to a nearby town to check he was “ok to drive” because he was “worried about his eyesight”. Nothing I have written here has come from the press, but rather from his own statement from his press conference, which in itself appears to be in direct conflict with the SPAD code of conduct (para 14). I agree we need to move on, and suggest you let your PM know that removing him from his position will be the best way for the country to do that. He, along with MPs like yourself, are undermining the public health message that is desperately needed to get covid under control and our country back to normal.
I sm afraid I havn’t changed my mind re Dominis Cummings. In fact, following his explanation which showed his absolute arrogance.
Thr majority of working class people, like myself, voted for conservatives because of out dislike of Corbyn and his ridiculous policies. Sir Keir Starmer is a very diffetent kettle of fidh, far more likable, not so argumentative or anti semetic and certainly a more appealing figure. He has yet to ptove himself of course but I ferl hopeful already
Justbecause Botis keeps repeating we must move on, he’s proven his artogance ignoring the peoples wishes
This will become apparent at the next general election, remember, ‘revenge is a fish best served cold’
I feel very let down and do not feel this crisis has not been handled too well, especially when it came to rest and nursing home residents which obviously are the most vulnerable people whether young disabled or older, they should have bern treated on a par with those in hospital because of the virus.
This will not go away and it certainly eon’t be forgotten
I do believe the above comments reflect views held by a great many people and fear that this episode will certainly have repercussions come a general election. From talking to people – at a social distance of course- (by phone!) everyone has had the same opinion, Dominic Cummings should go because his behaviour has been arrogant and selfish. The lack of leadership in this matter is to promote no confidence in the government.