Media playback is unsupported in your system Media captionDominic Cummings: "Who cares about beauty? It is a q
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The prime minister’s chief aide Dominic Cummings is going through contemporary allegations that he breached lockdown guidelines.
He and the federal government had stated he acted “fairly and legally” by driving from London to County Durham to whereas his spouse had coronavirus signs.
However the Observer and Sunday Mirror are actually reporting he was seen twice a long way from a household property – with the second sighting after he had recovered and been seen in London.
No 10 stated the story is “inaccurate”.
Ministers stated Mr Cummings and his spouse had chosen to self-isolate at a property adjoining to different relations in case they wanted assist with childcare.
Chatting with reporters outdoors his dwelling in London on Saturday, he stated he wouldn’t be resigning and had carried out the “proper factor” by travelling 260 miles together with his spouse and younger son to be close to relations when she developed Covid-19 signs.
Mr Cummings is but to answer the brand new claims.
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The story initially appeared within the Guardian and Day by day Mirror on Friday night.
In response to the contemporary claims within the papers’ Sunday publications, a Downing Road stated: “Yesterday the Mirror and Guardian wrote inaccurate tales about Mr Cummings.
“In the present day they’re writing extra inaccurate tales together with claims that Mr Cummings returned to Durham after returning to work in Downing Road on 14 April.
“We won’t waste our time answering a stream of false allegations about Mr Cummings from campaigning newspapers.”
Authorities recommendation had been for folks to remain at dwelling in the course of the first weeks of lockdown. Self-isolation at dwelling continues to be suggested for these with coronavirus signs.
Nevertheless, ministers provided their help to Mr Cummings earlier within the day, with Cupboard Workplace Minister Michael Gove tweeting: “Caring in your spouse and little one isn’t against the law.”
England’s deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries additionally stated all well being steering needs to be utilized with “widespread sense”.
However following the contemporary stories in regards to the alleged second go to to County Durham, a Labour supply stated: “If these newest revelations are true, why on earth had been Cupboard ministers despatched out this afternoon to defend Dominic Cummings?”
Performing Lib Dem chief Sir Ed Davey stated that the problem risked distracting the federal government from the pandemic whereas the SNP’s Ian Blackford stated Mr Cummings “has to go away workplace”.
Earlier than the brand new allegations, each Labour and the SNP stated Mr Cummings flouted the federal government’s personal recommendation and known as for an pressing inquiry into his conduct.
It comes as the federal government introduced 282 extra folks had died with coronavirus since Friday, throughout all settings, bringing the full to 36,675.
When approached by reporters outdoors his dwelling on Saturday, Mr Cummings stated he “behaved fairly and legally” when requested concerning the journey from London to Durham, which happened in late March.
Requested whether or not it seemed good, he stated: “Who cares about beauty? It is a query of doing the appropriate factor. It isn’t about what you guys assume.”
He was later requested by reporters whether or not he would think about his place, he stated: “Clearly not.”
“You guys are in all probability all about as proper about that as you had been about Brexit: do you keep in mind how proper you all had been about that,” he added.
PM’s help
Mr Cummings masterminded the 2016 Vote Go away marketing campaign earlier than being made Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s chief political adviser.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps stated the prime minster – who has not commented to this point – had “full confidence” in Mr Cummings, following calls from the SNP and the Scottish Labour Social gathering for him to stop or be fired.
An announcement by Downing Road earlier on Saturday denied that police spoke to Mr Cummings or his household, after the Guardian and the Day by day Mirror newspapers first reported the adviser had been seen close to his dad and mom’ dwelling in Durham.
The papers quoted police saying that they had spoken to a household in Durham on 31 March.
In an up to date assertion, Durham Police stated officers discovered of his journey on 31 March and spoke to Mr Cummings’ father the next day.
“Throughout that dialog, Mr Cummings’ father confirmed that his son had travelled together with his household from London to the North-East and was self-isolating in a part of the property.
“Durham Constabulary deemed that no additional motion was required. Nevertheless, the officer did present recommendation in relation to safety points,” an announcement from the police pressure stated.
Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Steve White stated it had been “most unwise” for Mr Cummings to make the journey, “given the entire ethos” of the federal government’s steering.
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