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| UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson says Dominic Cummings acted 'responsibly, legally and with integrity' | UK coronavirus live: Boris Johnson says Dominic Cummings acted 'responsibly, legally and with integrity' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| PM backs adviser at daily briefing amid calls from Conservative MPs for him to go over further breaches of lockdown rules | PM backs adviser at daily briefing amid calls from Conservative MPs for him to go over further breaches of lockdown rules |
| That’s it from our UK live blog today. Here is a summary of the major developments from this afternoon: | |
| Boris Johnson has backed his chief aide Dominic Cummings over his decision to travel 260 miles to Durham during the lockdown. The PM said Cummings acted “responsibly, legally and with integrity”. | |
| Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said “it is an insult to sacrifices made by the British people that Boris Johnson has chosen to take no action against Dominic Cummings”. He said the PM’s actions have “undermined confidence in his own public health message at this crucial time”. | |
| Johnson confirmed that the government will press ahead with the phased re-opened of schools in England from June 1. He added that he intends for secondary schools to provide “some contact” for year 10 and year 12 students from June 15 to help them to prepare for exams next year – with up to a quarter of these students in at any point. | |
| The government has vowed to make 3,300 homes available within 12 months to prevent rough sleepers housed in emergency pandemic accommodation in England returning to the streets. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will bring forward £160m of its £381m, four-year rough sleeping services budget to be spent this year. | |
| My colleague Peter Walker has the full report on today’s biggest story. | |
| If you want to continue following the latest in the coronavirus crisis, pop over to our global live blog. | |
| Here’s is Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s response to the PM’s decision to back Dominic Cummings: | |
| By backing Cummings, Johnson has laid bare his disdain for the British public | By backing Cummings, Johnson has laid bare his disdain for the British public |
| The prime minister’s self-centred endorsement of his overmighty adviser is an outrageous snub to the rest of us, writes my colleague Martin Kettle: | The prime minister’s self-centred endorsement of his overmighty adviser is an outrageous snub to the rest of us, writes my colleague Martin Kettle: |
| Read his full piece here: | Read his full piece here: |
| The UK Civil Service has issued a surprisingly honest and direct tweet following today’s Downing Street press briefing on the coronavirus crisis. | The UK Civil Service has issued a surprisingly honest and direct tweet following today’s Downing Street press briefing on the coronavirus crisis. |
| It has now been deleted but my colleague Claire Phipps had the foresight to take a screenshot for posterity: | It has now been deleted but my colleague Claire Phipps had the foresight to take a screenshot for posterity: |
| Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has issued a clarification that Johnson’s announcement on the lockdown and the phased re-opening of schools applies to England. | Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has issued a clarification that Johnson’s announcement on the lockdown and the phased re-opening of schools applies to England. |
| She said that the situation in Scotland is set out in the following thread: | She said that the situation in Scotland is set out in the following thread: |
| Johnson is asked whether he knew at the time that Dominic Cummings was making the trip to Durham and whether he approved it. He is also asked whether it is true Cummings made a trip to Barnard Castle in April. | Johnson is asked whether he knew at the time that Dominic Cummings was making the trip to Durham and whether he approved it. He is also asked whether it is true Cummings made a trip to Barnard Castle in April. |
| Johnson avoids answering the questions directly. “What I can tell you is, when you look at the guidance and the childcare needs, it was reasonable to self-isolate for 14 days or more where he did,” he said. | Johnson avoids answering the questions directly. “What I can tell you is, when you look at the guidance and the childcare needs, it was reasonable to self-isolate for 14 days or more where he did,” he said. |
| He said that he has looked at the allegations carefully and is content that “on both sides” of that period he behaved “responsibly and correctly”. | He said that he has looked at the allegations carefully and is content that “on both sides” of that period he behaved “responsibly and correctly”. |
| Johnson is asked whether his support for Cummings means that other people are completely at liberty to do as his chief aide did. | Johnson is asked whether his support for Cummings means that other people are completely at liberty to do as his chief aide did. |
| “I think what they did was totally understandable,” Johnson replied. “I think any father, any parent would understand what he did.” | “I think what they did was totally understandable,” Johnson replied. “I think any father, any parent would understand what he did.” |
| Johnson also confirmed that the government will press ahead with the phased reopening of schools from June 1. | Johnson also confirmed that the government will press ahead with the phased reopening of schools from June 1. |
| “The education of children is crucial for their welfare, for their long-term future and for social justice,” he said. | “The education of children is crucial for their welfare, for their long-term future and for social justice,” he said. |
| “In line with the approach being taken in many other countries, we want to start getting our children back into the classroom in a way that is as manageable and as safe as possible. | “In line with the approach being taken in many other countries, we want to start getting our children back into the classroom in a way that is as manageable and as safe as possible. |
| “We said we would begin with early years’ settings and reception, year 1, and year 6 in primary schools.” | “We said we would begin with early years’ settings and reception, year 1, and year 6 in primary schools.” |
| He added that he intends for secondary schools to provide “some contact” for year 10 and year 12 students from 15 June to help them to prepare for exams next year – with up to a quarter of these students in at any point. | He added that he intends for secondary schools to provide “some contact” for year 10 and year 12 students from 15 June to help them to prepare for exams next year – with up to a quarter of these students in at any point. |
| Johnson also told the Downing Street press conference that “some” of the allegations about Dominic Cummings’ behaviour during self-isolation were “palpably false”. | Johnson also told the Downing Street press conference that “some” of the allegations about Dominic Cummings’ behaviour during self-isolation were “palpably false”. |
| “Though there have been many other allegations about what happened when he was in self-isolation and thereafter, some of them palpably false, I believe that in every respect he has acted responsibly and legally and with integrity and with the overwhelming aim of stopping the spread of the virus and saving lives.” | “Though there have been many other allegations about what happened when he was in self-isolation and thereafter, some of them palpably false, I believe that in every respect he has acted responsibly and legally and with integrity and with the overwhelming aim of stopping the spread of the virus and saving lives.” |
| The reactions to Johnson’s announcement that Cummings will stay, apparently without any sanction or Cabinet Office investigation, have begun to pour in: | The reactions to Johnson’s announcement that Cummings will stay, apparently without any sanction or Cabinet Office investigation, have begun to pour in: |