Coronavirus: Dominic Cummings attended conferences of key scientific group

Boris Johnson’s chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, has attended conferences of the scientific physique advising the federal government on the coronavirus outbreak.

Nonetheless, Downing Road denied a report within the Guardian that Mr Cummings was a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage).

The committee, whose function is to offer unbiased recommendation, has helped form the UK’s response to the pandemic.

Labour mentioned Mr Cummings’ attendance raised “important questions”.

The Guardian reported that Mr Cummings and a knowledge scientist who labored with him on the Vote Go away marketing campaign throughout the Brexit referendum, Ben Warner, had been amongst 23 folks at a Sage assembly on 23 March.

That was the identical day the prime minister introduced the nationwide lockdown, bringing in strict new measures to deal with coronavirus.

A No 10 spokesman mentioned Mr Cummings and Mr Warner had attended or listened in to Sage conferences to be able to higher perceive the scientific debate round coronavirus.

He mentioned they “often” requested questions or supplied assist when “scientists point out issues in Whitehall”, including that others “additionally take heed to conferences with out being on, or a member of, Sage”.

“The scientists on Sage are among the many most outstanding of their fields,” the spokesman mentioned. “It’s factually unsuitable and damaging to wise public debate to suggest their recommendation is affected by authorities advisers listening to discussions.”

He added: “https://www.bbc.co.uk/”Public confidence within the media has collapsed throughout this emergency partly due to ludicrous tales similar to this.”

Sage is a panel of medical and scientific consultants, chaired by the UK’s chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance, that gives recommendation to the federal government throughout a disaster.

The make-up of the committee has been stored secret – though particular person members can disclose they’re a part of the group – and its recommendation has been given to ministers however has not been made public.

‘Compromises independence’

Shadow well being secretary Jonathan Ashworth mentioned Mr Cummings had “no place” on the federal government’s scientific advisory group.

“He’s a political adviser, not a medical or scientific professional. If the general public are to have faith within the Sage, the federal government should clarify Dominic Cummings can not take part or attend.”

Sir David King, the federal government’s former chief scientific adviser, mentioned he was involved by Mr Cummings’ attendance as a result of if he participated within the dialogue “this should compromise the independence” of the group.

He instructed BBC Newsnight: “What we do not know is the affect he performs in taking what he interprets from these conferences again to the prime minister.”

BBC Newsnight coverage editor Lewis Goodall mentioned the the disclosure about Mr Cummings would contribute “to additional requires Sage and the recommendation that it provides to the federal government to be revealed and its membership to be totally disclosed”.

On Friday, the UK’s chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty, a member of the physique, instructed MPs he had no objection “in precept” to particulars of the membership being launched.