After days of controversy Boris Johnson’s top adviser Dominic Cummings has offered a lengthy defense of his 260-mile lockdown journey across England. However, his explanation has left many with more questions than answers.
Cummings held a press conference in the garden of 10 Downing Street on Monday amid mounting calls for his resignation from across the political spectrum and the public at large.
The 48-year-old claimed that none of his usual childcare options were available and his wife had become suddenly ill. Out of worry for the safety of his family at their London home he decided to travel across England to a secluded cottage on his family’s estate in Durham.
The journey came at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak in April, while coronavirus movement restrictions that Cummings helped to draft were in place. The political strategist said that he believed that this was the safest option and he decided to take his family there before returning to London to work.
Press conference running late, but in Cummings defence, it’s a long drive from Durham.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) May 25, 2020
“I can understand that some people will argue I should have stayed at home in London. I understand these views, I understand the intense hardship and sacrifice the entire country has gone through. However, I respectfully disagree,” he said.
Cummings said that he felt at the time that it was highly likely that he had contracted Covid-19 due to the fact that he was in close contact with the prime minister and others who were infected with the coronavirus. He developed symptoms of the disease and went into isolation for two weeks.
He said that he decided to return to work 15 days after developing symptoms however the illness had affected his eyesight so he claimed that he drove to the town of Barnard Castle to see if it was safe for him to drive to London.
He said that him and his family sat by the riverbank for 15 minutes, and went for a walk in the woods.
Cummings says he needed to test his eyesight
The rest of us can see clearly that what he did was wrong
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) May 25, 2020
This explanation sparked a furious backlash on social media, with many accusing Cummings of trying to fool the public. Broadcaster Piers Morgan said: “If his eyesight was damaged, why was he driving a car?”
“He drove 30 miles to the castle to check his eyesight??! Shut up Cummings, we’re not mugs,” he added.
Oh what a load of f*cking bollocks.. he drove 30 miles to the castle to check his eyesight??! Shut up Cummings, we’re not mugs.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 25, 2020
Tony Blair’s former political adviser Alastair Campbell said: “Remind me that if I have an illness that affects my eyesight that I take a car for a drive to a castle to make sure I could go for a long drive.”
The press conference occurred just one day after Johnson offered his public backing to his embattled aide, a move that unleashed an avalanche of criticism in the UK, with many from across the political spectrum, including bishops and Tory-friendly newspapers, slamming the prime minister.
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Source: RT