Dominic Cummings shrugs off resignation calls as second breach of lockdown rules emerges after ministers were urged to support him

Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings remained defiantly in post last night after being accused of breaking lockdown rules by driving across England despite having Covid-19.

He flatly rejected mounting calls for his resignation after driving his wife and young son 260 miles to Durham while the couple were ill.

Mr Cummings was last night accused of a second breach of lockdown after apparently driving north to his parents home again.

In London yesterday, Mr Cummings said he had “behaved reasonably and legally” when he travelled to County Durham despite a ban on travel during lockdown.

Asked if he thought it was a “good look” for a key government adviser to apparently flout its own lockdown rules, Mr Cummings told reporters: “Who cares about good looks? It’s a question of doing the right thing. It’s not about what you guys think.”

He believes his trip was justified because his wife had fallen ill with corona-virus and he had to ensure his four-year-old son would be cared for. It is believed, Mr Cummings was stricken by Covid-19 the day after arriving at his parent’s home at the end of March.

Asked if he was considering his position, he said: “Obviously not. You guys are probably all about as right about that as you were about Brexit. Do you remember how right you all were about that?”

Ministers voiced support for Mr Cummings yesterday in what appeared to be a concerted Downing Street operation but last night it was claimed that Cummings had ignored the lockdown restrictions almost three weeks later.

According to reports, he was seen again in Durham on April 19 when a witness says he was seen walking in woods near his parents’ house, when Mr Cummings commenting on how “lovely” the bluebells were. A second witness said they spotted Mr Cummings in a town 30 miles away from Durham, on Easter Sunday, suggesting he had left his parents’ home for a day out.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood stood down, despite being initially backed by Nicola Sturgeon after travelling to her second home in Fife during lockdown, after it emerged that she had also been there the previous weekend.

The UK Government imposed legal restrictions on March 23, stating: “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.”

However, Mr Cummings drove north with his wife and son and police have confirmed they spoke to the family about their journey from London. Sources close to Mr Cummings said officers had not spoken to him. Yesterday, leading politicians in the SNP and Scottish Labour called for his resignation, claiming his actions had undermined vital heath messages and would encourage the public to flout lockdown rules and put lives at risk.

The development comes as it was announced that the number of confirmed coronavirus deaths in Scotland has risen to 2,261, an increase of 16 on the previous day. County Durham’s acting police and crime commissioner Steve White said Cummings’ journey was “most unwise”.

Westminster sources said a concerted operation was under way to bolster Mr Cummings’ position, with ministers being urged to post their support on social media. Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Chancellor Rishi Sunak all tweeted their support and suggested Mr Cummings trip was justified because of his need to secure childcare, although he was not himself ill when he travelled north.

However, the claims that he returned to Durham when apparently recovered from Covid-19 will heap pressure on Boris Johnson to sack his aide.

At the daily Downing Street press briefing, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Cummings had the Prime Minister’s “full support” over moving his family to Durham to self-isolate. Mr Shapps said: “The Prime Minister knew that he was, quite properly, staying in place with his family, which is the right thing to do.”

Calderwood quit as Scotland’s chief medical officer after making two trips to her second home, while scientist Neil Ferguson, whose work was crucial in Boris Johnson’s move to enforce the lockdown, stood down from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies after allowing his lover to visit him at his London home.

Mr Shapps said: “This wasn’t visiting a holiday home or going to visit someone. This was to stay put and remain in isolation to deal with what I hear was a significant bout of coronavirus and then return to London only when well. There is every difference.”

“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 of these measures will be possible”

Transport Sec Grant Shapps says Dominic Cummings’ journey was within ruleshttps://t.co/DSMZqzIJws pic.twitter.com/N9DSAVVNN1

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) May 23, 2020

Reports yesterday revealed a neighbour saw Mr Cummings at the doorstep of his parents’ home in Durham on April 5, with Abba’s Dancing Queen playing loudly.

Downing Street said: “Owing to his wife being infected with suspected coronavirus and the high likelihood that he would himself become unwell, it was essential for Dominic Cummings to ensure his young child could be properly cared for. His sister and nieces had volunteered to help so he went to a house near to, but separate from, his extended family in case their help was needed. His sister shopped for the family and left everything outside.

“At no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter, as is being reported. His actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines.”

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has written to Sir Mark Sedwill, the head of the Civil Service, calling for an investigation.

He said: “Dominic Cummings’ position is completely untenable. This is a matter of leadership and judgment for the Prime Minister. Millions of us have made huge sacrifices over the months to obey the rules, while Boris Johnson’s most senior adviser was breaking them. There cannot be one rule for the Tory government and another for the rest of us.”

“This has put at risk the whole public messaging that the UK government has delivered over the course of the last few weeks”

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford says “we’ve had no real defence as to why Dominic Cummings travelled all the way to Durham”https://t.co/DSMZqzIJws pic.twitter.com/uN98kOSzQH

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) May 23, 2020

Labour have also written calling for an inquiry and the party’s Scottish leader Richard Leonard said: “Dominic Cummings acted dangerously and selfishly by flouting the lockdown rules that the rest of the UK has been following. Not only did he choose to ignore the guidance of his own government, he did so despite knowing he had symptoms of Covid-19. He should be removed from his position immediately.”

Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw made no comment on the controversy but Lib Dem acting leader Sir Ed Davey said: “It looks like he has broken the rules and if he has, it is simple: he should go. He should resign and if he doesn’t resign the Prime Minister should terminate his contract.”

However, political analyst Andy Maciver said the PM would seek to keep his top aide “at all costs”.

Mr Maciver, who was previously the head of communications for the Scottish Conservatives, said: “Dominic Cummings is effectively the most important person in Boris Johnson’s operation. He is far more than a player in Covid-19. He is the central person in this government.”

A snap poll by YouGov of over 3,000 people found 52% of voters think Cummings should resign, 28% think he should stay on and 20% are on the fence.