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| UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson under pressure to sack Dominic Cummings - latest updates | UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson under pressure to sack Dominic Cummings - latest updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Pressure for prime minister’s top adviser to go follows report he breached lockdown rules in March. Follow the latest developments as they happen | Pressure for prime minister’s top adviser to go follows report he breached lockdown rules in March. Follow the latest developments as they happen |
| In more upbeat news, the children’s author Michael Rosen has left intensive care after eight weeks in hospital, and continues his recovery on the ward. | |
| His wife, Emma-Louise Williams, has been updating fans on the former children’s laureate’s condition on Twitter, though she has not confirmed if his condition is related to Covid-19. | |
| Amid accusations of a “cover up” about what was known by whom about Dominic Cummings’ lockdown travels, No 10 has issued its first official response, maintaining that “his actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines” and Cummings “believes he acted legally and responsibly”. | |
| This is from the Mirror’s Pippa Crerar, who broke the story with the Guardian’s Matthew Weaver | |
| Police have confirmed they attended a property in County Durham after it emerged that Cummings, Boris Johnson’s chief adviser, travelled more than 260 miles from his London home during the lockdown. | |
| And this is from the BBC’s Nick Robinson | |
| Here is some reaction from Twitter about the Dominic Cummings story | Here is some reaction from Twitter about the Dominic Cummings story |
| From the FT’s Jim Pickard | From the FT’s Jim Pickard |
| A thread from ITV’s Robert Peston | A thread from ITV’s Robert Peston |
| A thread from HuffPost’s Paul Waugh | A thread from HuffPost’s Paul Waugh |
| From Business Insider’s Adam Bienkov | From Business Insider’s Adam Bienkov |
| Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said the prime minister had “serious questions” to answer regarding what he knew about Dominic Cummings’ lockdown trip to Country Durham. | Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said the prime minister had “serious questions” to answer regarding what he knew about Dominic Cummings’ lockdown trip to Country Durham. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Blackford said: | Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Blackford said: |
| He branded the alleged actions the “height of irresponsibility for someone to think this is a reasonable course of action”, and added: | He branded the alleged actions the “height of irresponsibility for someone to think this is a reasonable course of action”, and added: |
| Blackford said Cummings’ alleged actions were “more serious breaches” than rule-breaking carried out by UK government adviser Prof Neil Ferguson and Scotland’s former chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood, both of whom resigned for their breaches. | Blackford said Cummings’ alleged actions were “more serious breaches” than rule-breaking carried out by UK government adviser Prof Neil Ferguson and Scotland’s former chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood, both of whom resigned for their breaches. |
| Good morning. Boris Johnson is facing mounting pressure to sack his closest aide following reports he breached lockdown rules in March. | Good morning. Boris Johnson is facing mounting pressure to sack his closest aide following reports he breached lockdown rules in March. |
| A joint investigation by the Guardian and Mirror newspapers revealed that police spoke to Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s key adviser, after he visited his parents’ home in Durham, 264 miles from his London home while he had coronavirus symptoms in late March. | A joint investigation by the Guardian and Mirror newspapers revealed that police spoke to Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s key adviser, after he visited his parents’ home in Durham, 264 miles from his London home while he had coronavirus symptoms in late March. |
| Cummings and his wife, who was also experiencing symptoms, stayed with his parents while self-isolating. A source close to Cummings denied a breach of the coronavirus rules to the BBC, saying the couple needed childcare help. They added that the couple had stayed in a separate building at the property. | Cummings and his wife, who was also experiencing symptoms, stayed with his parents while self-isolating. A source close to Cummings denied a breach of the coronavirus rules to the BBC, saying the couple needed childcare help. They added that the couple had stayed in a separate building at the property. |
| Only days earlier, the government had told the public to avoid all non-essential travel, to not meet family members who do not live with them, and to stay at home – with fines in places for those who broke the rules – and both Boris Johnson and the health secretary, Matt Hancock, had tested positive for Covid-19. Anyone with coronavirus symptoms was also instructed to self-isolate at home and not to leave the house for seven days - even for essential supplies. The prime minister had also said clearly that children should not be left with grandparents or older relatives “who may be particularly vulnerable or fall into some of the vulnerable groups”. | Only days earlier, the government had told the public to avoid all non-essential travel, to not meet family members who do not live with them, and to stay at home – with fines in places for those who broke the rules – and both Boris Johnson and the health secretary, Matt Hancock, had tested positive for Covid-19. Anyone with coronavirus symptoms was also instructed to self-isolate at home and not to leave the house for seven days - even for essential supplies. The prime minister had also said clearly that children should not be left with grandparents or older relatives “who may be particularly vulnerable or fall into some of the vulnerable groups”. |
| Labour demanded No 10 “to provide a very swift explanation for his actions”. The party’s vice chair, Tulip Sadiq, said: | Labour demanded No 10 “to provide a very swift explanation for his actions”. The party’s vice chair, Tulip Sadiq, said: |
| The acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, tweeted: | The acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, tweeted: |
| And Ian Blackford, the Scottish National party’s Westminster leader, said: | And Ian Blackford, the Scottish National party’s Westminster leader, said: |
| But a source close to Cummings said there is “zero chance” he will resign. | But a source close to Cummings said there is “zero chance” he will resign. |
| Cummings is the latest high-profile figure to have broken the government’s lockdown rules. Prof Neil Ferguson, whose epidemiological modelling helped shape the lockdown policy, resigned in early May when it was revealed that he flouted the rules to receive visits from his lover at his home. And Scotland’s chief medical officer, Catherine Calderwood, had to go after it emerged in early April that she visited her second home twice despite her own advice to the public to avoid all non-essential travel. | Cummings is the latest high-profile figure to have broken the government’s lockdown rules. Prof Neil Ferguson, whose epidemiological modelling helped shape the lockdown policy, resigned in early May when it was revealed that he flouted the rules to receive visits from his lover at his home. And Scotland’s chief medical officer, Catherine Calderwood, had to go after it emerged in early April that she visited her second home twice despite her own advice to the public to avoid all non-essential travel. |
| I’ll be bringing you all the latest UK developments on the coronavirus pandemic throughout the day, so please feel free to get in touch with any news tips, advice, comments or suggestions. | I’ll be bringing you all the latest UK developments on the coronavirus pandemic throughout the day, so please feel free to get in touch with any news tips, advice, comments or suggestions. |
| Email: lucy.campbell@theguardian.comTwitter: @lucy_campbell_ | Email: lucy.campbell@theguardian.comTwitter: @lucy_campbell_ |