United Kingdom: Councilor Dominic Cummings in turmoil for breaching containment

The rules for containment are the same for everyone, Boris Johnson's advisor or not. The British government had to defend Saturday, May 23, Dominic Cummings, who is suspected of having violated the rules of containment established to fight against the spread of Covid-19.

In late March, Dominic Cummings, 48, left his London home to go to his seventy-year-old parents in Durham, in the north-east of England, when he had symptoms of Covid-19, revealed Friday evening the daily newspapers Daily Mirror and The Guardian.

In the United Kingdom, the second country in the world the hardest hit with 36,675 deaths, more than 41,000 including the unconfirmed cases, this affair comes to embarrass Prime Minister Boris Johnson, already targeted by critics on his management of the crisis.

With the revelation of this displacement 400 kilometers from London in full confinement, calls are multiplying to demand the departure of the powerful and controversial Dominic Cummings. Brain of the campaign in 2016 for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, it is sometimes portrayed as a kind of evil genius of the conservative leader.

An embarrassing affair for the government

Faced with the controversy, a spokesman for Downing Street assured that the adviser to Boris Johnson had acted in line with the recommendations of the government.

To journalists who came to question him outside his London home, Dominic Cummings said he had behaved "in a reasonable and legal manner". "Who cares about appearances?" He said, "the question is to do what is right, not what you think."

"The British people do not expect there to be one law for themselves and another for Dominic Cummings," said a spokesman for the Labor Party.

Scottish separatist leader in Westminster Parliament Ian Blackford said "he must resign or be fired".

Challenging any rule violation, a Downing Street spokesperson said the counselor had done so because he needed help looking after his son and had stayed in a building separate from the property. According to this source, his sister left shopping outside for the family.

But for the Labor party, Downing Street's response "raises more questions than it answers". 

Who knew about this decision, was there a sanction from the Prime Minister and would Downing Street question the police statements? Because it confirmed to have been informed on March 31, and indicated to have carried out a recall of the rules in application of the national recommendations.

But Downing Street head-on contradicted these claims, explaining that "at no time did the police speak to him (Dominic Cummings) or his family about it, as reported."

Two resignations for breach of confinement

Despite the numerous questions from journalists, the daily Downing Street press conference devoted to the coronavirus did not bring the expected clarifications. The recommendations have an element of "common sense," said Jenny Harries, deputy chief medical officer.

At the time of the events, Mr. Johnson's government required people to only go out to meet their basic needs and demanded that those with symptoms not leave their homes.

It's reasonable and fair to ask for an explanation on this. And it has been provided: two parents with Coronavirus, were anxiously taking care of their young child. Those now seeking to politicize it should take a long hard look in the mirror. https://t.co/fvfvPmlccQ

"Those looking to politicize" this case "should look in the mirror," foreign minister Dominic Raab tweeted, saying the necessary explanations had been provided.

Prior to this case, the UK had two resounding resignations for breaching the confinement in force since March 23. An influential government scientific advisor, Professor Neil Fergusson had resigned after receiving a woman, presented as his mistress, at his home.

In early April, the head of the Scottish health services, Catherine Calderwood, left her post after admitting to having visited her second home twice.

With AFP

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