Boris tries to save Dominic Cummings' job by declaring 'it's not like he was visiting a lover' as maverick ally is accused of breaking lockdown rules THREE times, including second trip to parents' Durham home where he 'strolled in bluebell wood' with wife
Boris Johnson has mounted a determined defence of his controversial aide Dominic Cummings for allegedly breaking lockdown rules while ill with coronavirus, telling allies: 'It's not like he was visiting a lover.'
But just as the Prime Minister resolved to stand by his right-hand-man, the Downing Street adviser was rocked by fresh claims of flouting the strict national guidelines from two more witnesses, which whipped up a further frenzy for him to be sacked.
Steve Baker, a former Brexit minister and a senior hardline Brexiteer like Mr Cummings, broke cover to demand the advisor be sacked today, demanding the Prime Minister 'take back control' of events squirming from his grasp.
Writing for The Critic website, Mr Baker, the High Wycombe MP, accused the senior aide of 'suiting himself with a long drive, presumably with stops, to get help during his illness', while other mums and dads were 'going without the childcare provided by their parents'.
He added: 'Dominic Cummings must go before he does any more harm to the UK, the Government, the Prime Minister, our institutions or the Conservative Party.
'Time is up. It is time for Dom to resign so Boris can govern within the conventions and norms which will see us through.'
Labour's shadow policing minister Sarah Jones this morning demanded Mr Johnson take today's coronavirus press conference to 'answer questions about what happened, what he knew and what he is going to do about it'.
The first witness claimed to have seen Mr Cummings on Easter Sunday at a town 30 miles away from his parents' Durham farm where he was self-isolating with his wife and son - despite earlier insisting he had 'stayed put' the whole time.
A second said they sighted Mr Cummings back in Durham on April 19, five days after he had returned to work in Westminster - suggesting he made a second 264-mile trip to the North East.
They come after the Number 10 chief was on Friday branded a hypocrite for ignoring the same lockdown instructions to stay at home which he himself helped to craft.
Last night's revelations in the Observer and Sunday Mirror have poured petrol on the row engulfing the PM's aide, who the public decisively believe breached restrictions, a YouGov poll found.
Before the latest accusations of rule-breaking emerged, allies said Mr Johnson had 'thrown a protective ring' around his most senior lieutenant because he had a 'compelling case' for his trip which earned him 'the benefit of the doubt'.
'Breaking lockdown to see your mistress is very different from doing everything to protect your toddler,' said one.
The PM told friends: 'Dominic acted within the guidance and was simply caring for his family. I now consider the matter closed.'
The premier also added: 'It's not like he was visiting a lover,' suggesting Mr Cummings was not poised to suffer the same fate as Sage scientist Prof Neil Ferguson.
Mr Johnson told allies he would not throw Mr Cummings 'to the dogs', according to the Sunday Times.
However last night's claims the 48-year-old Vote Leave mastermind broke lockdown rules repeatedly is likely to test the PM's support, with one Downing Street insider branding Mr Cummings's behaviour 'Domnishambles'.
Number 10 furiously rubbished the reports and said it will not 'waste time answering a stream of false allegations from campaigning newspapers'.
But there is growing fury inside Tory ranks at Mr Cummings' astonishing behaviour. One Cabinet minister told the Sunday Times he had made them look like 'hypocrites' over the harsh lockdown measures forced upon the British public.
And an adviser channelled Monty' Python's cult film The Life of Brian, saying: 'He's proved he's not the Messiah, he's actually a very naughty boy'.
No10 was facing a fire on another front after Durham Constabulary last contradicted Downing Street's statement that police had not spoken to Mr Cummings's family about him travelling to Durham in late March.
The force last night released its own statement confirming officers had in fact spoken to Mr Cummings's father Robert about the matter.
Durham bolt-hole: The family property Mr Cummings and his family is said to have fled to during the height of the coronavirus lockdown
Mr Cummings (pictured leaving home with his son yesterday) insisted he was entitled to make the journey to get to family
Challenged by reporters at his London home this afternoon whether his actions looked bad, a defiant Dominic Cummings said 'who cares about good looks'
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the Downing Street briefing that the No10 chief had the 'full support' of Boris Johnson, as he faced a barrage of questions. Mr Cummings travelled with his wife Mary Wakefield (pictured right yesterday)
Steve Baker, a former Brexit minister and a senior hardline Brexiteer like Mr Cummings, broke cover to demand the advisor be sacked today, demanding the Prime Minister 'take back control' of events squirming from his grasp
Boris Johnson last night mounted a determined defence of his controversial aide Dominic Cummings, telling allies: 'It's not like he was visiting a lover' when he allegedly broke lockdown rules (pictured in September)
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said at yesterday's daily press briefing the important thing was that the 48-year-old adviser had 'stayed put' for two weeks once he arrived at his parents' property in March.
But this narrative appeared to unravel last night when a witness claimed he had sighted Mr Cummings at a town 30 miles away from his parents' home.
Robert Lees, a retired chemistry teacher, said he saw the maverick Brexiteer and his family walking in Barnard Castle, Teesdale, on April 12.
He told the papers: 'I was a bit gobsmacked to see him, because I know what he looks like. And the rest of the family seemed to match - a wife and child.
'I was pretty convinced it was him and it didn't seem right because I assumed he would be in London.'
Calling for the aide to resign, he added: 'I went home and told my wife, we thought he must be in London. I searched up the number plate later that day and my computer search history shows that.'
Mr Cummings was dealt a further blow by a neighbour who alleged to have seen him back in Durham on April 19, five days after he was first pictured back in Number 10.
The unnamed passer-by said he spotted the PM's senior aide admiring the 'lovely' bluebells with his wife Mary Wakefield in Houghall Woods, near his parents' farm.
It suggests Mr Cummings travelled back to the North East having returned to work in Westminster after recovering from Covid-19.
Earlier, a defiant Mr Cummings responded 'who cares' when he was asked by reporters whether his actions looked bad.
But one Number 10 insider jokingly branded his behaviour 'Domnishambles', a reference to the derisive term 'omnishambles' first used to describe an all-encompassing mess in BBC political satire The Thick Of It and then in the Commons by Ed Miliband.
The latest claims flared-up calls for Mr Cummings to be dismissed. SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said the adviser 'must' be fired.
He tweeted: 'It is clear that Boris Johnson must sack Dominic Cummings. When the PMs top adviser ignores the Government's instruction to the public not to engage in non-essential travel he has to leave office. Immediately.'
He has even called on the head of the civil service to investigate the 'rule-breaking and the Tory Government's cover-up'.
Acting Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: 'If Dominic Cummings is now allowed to remain in place a moment longer, it will increasingly be the Prime Minister's judgement that is in the spotlight.
'Surely Boris Johnson must now recognise the actions of his top adviser are an insult to the millions who have made huge personal sacrifices to stop the spread of coronavirus.'
Critics have been buoyed by the weight of public opinion, with a YouGov poll finding 68 per cent of people believe Mr Cummings flouted the rules and more than half (52 per cent) thought he should resign. Just 28 per cent believe he should stay at No 10.
A No 10 spokeswoman last night said: 'Yesterday the Mirror and Guardian wrote inaccurate stories about Mr Cummings.
'Today they are writing more inaccurate stories including claims that Mr Cummings returned to Durham after returning to work in Downing Street on 14 April.
'We will not waste our time answering a stream of false allegations about Mr Cummings from campaigning newspapers.'
As well as taking flak for stonewalling the accusations, Downing Street has come under fire for offering a differing version of events from Durham Constabulary.
No 10 had said Saturday morning: 'At no stage was he [Mr Cummings] or his family spoken to about this matter, as is being reported,' and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that statement was 'black and white' at the daily Downing Street briefing.
But in a statement released on Saturday night, the force said: 'Following a significant number of media inquiries over the weekend, Durham Constabulary can add the following detail.
'On Tuesday, March 31, our officers were made aware that Dominic Cummings had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city.
'At the request of Mr Cummings' father, an officer made contact the following morning by telephone.
'During that conversation, Mr Cummings' father confirmed that his son had travelled with his family from London to the North-East and was self-isolating in part of the property.
'Durham Constabulary deemed that no further action was required. However, the officer did provide advice in relation to security issues.
Dominic Cummings and wife Mary Wakefield, who wrote about her husband's coronavirus battle
The property in Durham has a series of outbuildings, and it is thought Mr Cummings stayed in one of them with his family
Mr Cummings' parents' farm, where he relocated with his wife and son when they came down with coronavirus symptoms
Mr Cummings claims he travelled to Durham so his parents, Robert, 73, and Morag, 71, could look after his four-year-old son if both he and his wife were stricken by the virus.
Mr Cummings swatted away questions from reporters yesterday, saying: 'It's a question of doing the right thing. It's not about what you guys think,' he said.
He also berated photographers for not following social distancing rules by staying two metres apart.
His mother also let rip on a reporter. Speaking from the family home via intercom, she said: 'I have got one thing to say, Dominic's uncle died on Palm Sunday and you should be ashamed of yourself.'
A host of Cabinet ministers also rallied round. Michael Gove, Mr Cummings' former boss, tweeted: 'Caring for your wife and child is not a crime.' Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Matt Hancock also offered backing.
But a tweet from Mr Johnson's account this afternoon underlined the issue ministers face explaining the situation.
'If you have symptoms of #coronavirus, you should self-isolate and get yourself tested,' the message said.
The government guidance at the time said that those self-isolating 'must stay at home and not leave the house', as well as 'staying away' from vulnerable elderly people. In an account of their ordeal published last month, Mr Cummings' journalist wife Mary Wakefield also described how he was nursed by their small son with Ribena - suggesting he stayed with them throughout. The PM's official spokesman told reporters at the time that Mr Cummings was isolating 'at home'.
Repeatedly grilled on the controversy at the briefing this evening, Mr Shapps said: 'The important thing is that everyone remains in the same place whilst they are on lockdown which is exactly what happened in I think the case you're referring to with Mr Cummings.
'The prime minister will have known he was staying put and he didn't come out again until he was feeling better.'
Mr Shapps added: 'The guidance says if you're living with children keep following this advice to the best of your ability.
'However, we are aware that not all these measures will be possible depending therefore on circumstances.'
Suggesting the guidance was down to individual interpretation, Mr Shapps said: 'It's for an individual to make the decision 'how do I make sure I've got enough support around the family', particularly in the case you are referring to with a potential of both parents ending up being ill and having a young child to look after.
'How do you have that support network around them, and the decision here was to go to that location and stay in that location. They don't then need to move around from there and so it would be for each individual to work out the best way to do that, which is what's happened here.'
Mr Shapps added: 'You have to get yourself in lockdown and do that in the best and most practical way - and I think that will be different for different people under whatever circumstances, their particular family differences, happen to dictate, that's all that's happened in this case.'
On whether Mr Johnson knew of Mr Cummings activities, Mr Shapps pointed out that the PM had been ill himself at the time. 'I can tell you the PM provides Mr Cummings with his full support and Mr Cummings has provided a full statement,' he said.
Asked to clarify guidance about travelling during lockdown, Dr Jenny Harries said it was 'clear' someone with symptoms should self-isolate along with their family.
But she said all the guidance had a 'common sense' element about safeguarding. Dr Harries said: 'So we don't want an elderly person sitting at home without their medication because they feel they can't come out.'
Dr Harries said if there was a 'safeguarding issue' where a child had 'no support', that was also an issue.
'There's always a safeguarding clause in all of the advice,' she said, adding: 'The interpretation of that advice is probably for others.'
Sources close to Mr Cummings say there is 'zero chance' of him quitting.
Dorset police and crime commissioner Martyn Underhill warned th that the breach will be thrown in the face of officers as they tried to restrain sun-seeking visitors on what is expected to be a hot bank holiday weekend.
Mr Underhill said the furore would inevitably be cited by people flocking to beauty spots and beaches in Dorset this weekend.
'It is unfortunate the timing of this as it is going to be the busiest weekend Dorset has seen this year,' he said.
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner weighed in to say Mr Cummings's actions had made policing the lockdown 'much harder'.
In a statement, former Labour MP David Jamieson said: 'The police's job of enforcing the lockdown has been made much harder after both the actions of Dominic Cummings travelling over 260 miles and the flexibility with which the Government now seem to interpret the guidance.
He urged the PM to sack his adviser 'to restore public confidence and some credibility to his handling of this dreadful Covid-19 crisis'.
Tory aides who have felt the wrath of Mr Cummings were also withering about his controversy.
'Couldn't happen to a nicer guy,' one told MailOnline. 'But I'm sure they won't concede him.'
Another agreed that Mr Cummings would not go. 'He's too needed,' they said. 'Who else will be willing to fulfill the role he's created?'
His wife, the journalist Mary Wakefield, wrote about his struggle with the disease and suggested he was holed up at their London residence, as did the Prime Minister's spokesperson at the time in late March.
Neighbours were 'shocked' to see him in the North East a few days after he was pictured in Westminster and announced to be isolating with Covid-19 symptoms.
The neighbour, who did not want to give their name, told the Mirror: 'I got the shock of my life. There was a child, presumably his little boy, running around in front. I recognised Dominic Cummings, he's a very distinctive figure.
'I was really annoyed. I thought 'it's OK for you to drive all the way up to Durham and escape from London'.
'I sympathise with him wanting to do that but other people are not allowed to do that. It's one rule for Dominic Cummings and one rule for the rest of us.'
On April 14, the aide was pictured back in Westminster for the first time since his coronavirus recovery.
Mr Cummings was not slapped with the £60 fine for breaching the rules, which were ushered in on March 26.
Coronavirus laws ushered in on March 26 stated: 'You should not be visiting family members who do not live in your home. The only exception is if they need help, such as having shopping or medication dropped off.'
Several days later, on April 5, Mr Cummings allegedly remained at the property in Durham and was spotted by a neighbour of Mr Cummings' parents,
Boris tries to save Dominic Cummings' job by declaring 'it's not like he was visiting a lover' as maverick ally is accused of breaking lockdown rules THREE times, including second trip to parents' Durham home where he 'strolled in bluebell wood' with wife
![Boris tries to save Dominic Cummings' job by declaring 'it's not like he was visiting a lover' as maverick ally is accused of breaking lockdown rules THREE times, including second trip to parents' Durham home where he 'strolled in bluebell wood' with wife]()
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