British minister says 'move on' from rage over PM adviser Cummings' road trip

By Guy Faulconbridge, Kate Holton

 

Dominic Cummings, special advisor for Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, answers questions from the media after making a statement at 10 Downing Street, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, May 25, 2020. Jonathan Brady/Pool via REUTERS

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A British minister said on Wednesday that it was time to “move on” after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s senior adviser provoked outrage and widespread scorn by making a 400 km (250 mile) road trip during the coronavirus lockdown.

 

Dominic Cummings has refused to quit after it was revealed that he had driven from London to northern England in March with his 4-year-old son and his wife, who was sick at the time, to be close to relatives. Johnson has backed his adviser.

 

Opinion polls show that faith in Johnson has tumbled since the Cummings story broke on Friday in The Mirror and The Guardian newspapers, with some people openly lampooning both Johnson and Cummings on social media.

 

Opposition parties and some Conservative lawmakers have also demanded that Cummings, the man behind the successful 2016 Brexit campaign and Johnson’s landslide 2019 election victory, should resign. He has refused to apologise.

 

“Now I think is the time for us all to move on,” Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told the BBC, adding that the people wanted the government to be speaking about issues other than Cummings.

 

“That’s not to say this isn’t an important issue or that people don’t care a great deal about it but I think there is a lot more that we need to focus on now, like the virus and the economy.”

 

As nearly 70 million British citizens endured the most stringent lockdown in peacetime history, the news that the second most powerful man in the British government had taken such a long road journey was greeted with dismay by many.

 

The Daily Star newspaper, a tabloid which delights in reporting scandal and the sexual antics of celebrities, even offered reader a cut out Cummings mask.

 

“FREE Do whatever the hell you want and sod everybody else mask,” the Star said on its front page. “Wear this handy Dom face covering and you’ll get away with murder.”

 

YouGov found 71% of people believed Cummings had broken lockdown rules and 59% thought he should resign.

 

LOCKDOWN OVER?

 

Just a few days before Cummings’ journey, Johnson imposed a lockdown in the United Kingdom and asked people to stay at home. He said on March 23 that people “should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home”.

 

Cummings said he had acted reasonably and not broken the lockdown rules - a position supported by Johnson and senior ministers who have in recent days contorted themselves trying to explain if the lockdown is still is in force and, if so, whom it applies to. He has refused to apologise.

 

There was confusion about the fines - of a minimum of 60 pounds ($74) - imposed by police on thousands of ordinary people for breaking lockdown rules.

 

Jenrick said there would be no official review of fines imposed on ordinary people and that it was for the police to decide.

 

“There isn’t going to be a formal review, this is a matter for the police, the police follow the law and the guidelines,” he said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-27

 

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2 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

A British minister said on Wednesday that it was time to “move on” after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s senior adviser provoked outrage and widespread scorn by making a 400 km (250 mile) road trip during the coronavirus lockdown.

thinly veiled version of " leaders are above the law"

Oh yes they would like that ….. Move on and let them wipe their dirt under the carpet..... why not....

I am sure they are planning a fog curtain already in form of trying seducing the public wit relaxing more  & more the lockdown  at any price …..

 

politics must be saved at any price 

 

19 Conservative MPs seeking his dismissal on Sunday.

 

40 after his defence of himself on Monday.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dominic-cummings-boris-johnson-tory-mps-backlash-rebellion-a9531111.html

 

 

44 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Now I think is the time for us all to move on,” Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told the BBC, adding that the people wanted the government to be speaking about issues other than Cummings.

Nah, it’s the government that wants people to be speaking about other issues...

he actually did nothing wrong, what he did was covered by exceptional circumstance in the rules, what mainstream media are doing right now in the UK is the real scandal

25 minutes ago, Enoon said:

 

19 Conservative MPs seeking his dismissal on Sunday.

 

40 after his defence of himself on Monday.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dominic-cummings-boris-johnson-tory-mps-backlash-rebellion-a9531111.html

 

 

They're all remainers, this letter from Barnier shows what it's all about :

 

 

 

 

21 minutes ago, smedly said:

he actually did nothing wrong, what he did was covered by exceptional circumstance in the rules, what mainstream media are doing right now in the UK is the real scandal

Did nothing wrong? so making rules then breaking them yourself is not wrong? That's a mighty fine attitude to have in a dictatorship maybe.

3 minutes ago, ukrules said:

They're all remainers, this letter from Barnier shows what it's all about :

 

 

 

 

It has absolutely nothing to do with brexit, it's quite simply about the rules which we are ALL required to live by.

4 minutes ago, fasteddie said:

It has absolutely nothing to do with brexit, it's quite simply about the rules which we are ALL required to live by.

 be prepared when 1 januari coming  their disaster start to show , it shall be again the E.U.'s fault ….. just because E.U. don't give them same privileges' as being a member but no membership to pay .

 

Also , they try to divert their Cummings-Boris thing to Brexit while this case is a non Brexit thing as even the Thorygraph (Telegraph ) find it scandal 

1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

thinly veiled version of " leaders are above the law"

The whole response to this is so typically English, Whinge and complain about everything, go on and on and on about it. I agree with the guy who said it's time to move on, the transgressor, if indeed he actually was, is far more value to Boris as a senior adviser. The British public are being whipped into a frenzy by the media and are too gullible and easily aroused.

5 minutes ago, JWRC said:

The whole response to this is so typically English, Whinge and complain about everything, go on and on and on about it. I agree with the guy who said it's time to move on, the transgressor, if indeed he actually was, is far more value to Boris as a senior adviser. The British public are being whipped into a frenzy by the media and are too gullible and easily aroused.

 

Move on and go to Barnard Castle 555

It has been a few years my last time in England. I would believe that ministers/special advisers,high ranking civil servants are entitled to have special medical treatments,assistance.

How come that the puppet master, Rasputin Cummings was unable to find a child carer in the whole of London?

Why has no reporter asked him that question at his display in the garden? Or at least I am not aware of this question.

I can not believe that Britannia did sink that low.

13 minutes ago, david555 said:

 

Make sure there's room under there for Blackford who travelled 600 miles and the Labour  MP who attended a funeral (he's OK though apparently as he's both Asian AND apologised- guess that's a double pass from the Illuminate). Strange no one's talking about them.  Its yesterday's story now- get over it.

28 minutes ago, JWRC said:

The whole response to this is so typically English, Whinge and complain about everything, go on and on and on about it. I agree with the guy who said it's time to move on, the transgressor, if indeed he actually was, is far more value to Boris as a senior adviser. The British public are being whipped into a frenzy by the media and are too gullible and easily aroused.

You could be right, they were so gullible and aroused they voted for Brexit, an economic suicide pact 

5 minutes ago, bannork said:

You could be right, they were so gullible and aroused they voted for Brexit, an economic suicide pact 

 

 

In your opinion.........................

7 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Make sure there's room under there for Blackford who travelled 600 miles and the Labour  MP who attended a funeral (he's OK though apparently as he's both Asian AND apologised- guess that's a double pass from the Illuminate). Strange no one's talking about them.  Its yesterday's story now- get over it.

Why should they not resign also. The public will decide if and when it decides to move on.

 

I think some are feeling the heat. Politics isnt what it used to be, now its expected they actually try to do some work.

1 hour ago, smedly said:

he actually did nothing wrong, what he did was covered by exceptional circumstance in the rules, what mainstream media are doing right now in the UK is the real scandal

So even leaving aside the clear circumvention of his own rules, ie he had numerous other options, embarking on a 60 mile journey to ‘test your eyesight’ whilst loading the car with your wife and 4 year old child  with doubts over your eyesight is ‘doing nothing wrong’ ?? What a bizarre assertion. 
 

Assuming it wasn’t utter lies and his eyesight was compromised and he crashed into and killed your kids, what would be your take on it then when it got out ?  
 

Even Brexiteers must be able to see through this one ! 

51 minutes ago, JWRC said:

The whole response to this is so typically English, Whinge and complain about everything, go on and on and on about it. I agree with the guy who said it's time to move on, the transgressor, if indeed he actually was, is far more value to Boris as a senior adviser. The British public are being whipped into a frenzy by the media and are too gullible and easily aroused.

Feed that nonsense to someone who were unable to visit a dying relative or attend a loved ones funeral !

 

So created Brexit, soon to be the largest self inflicted economic debacle in modern history (whats the latest on EU sized trade deals?)and wilfully broke deadly virus restrictions - valuable how ? 

Just now, Bruntoid said:

Feed that nonsense to someone who were unable to visit a dying relative or attend a loved ones funeral !

 

So created Brexit, soon to be the largest self inflicted economic debacle in modern history (whats the latest on EU sized trade deals?)and wilfully broke deadly virus restrictions - valuable how ? 

 

 

This not a Brexit thread.... take your pointless, gutless and off-topic comments elsewhere.

He just reminds me with his looks and the way he dresses, of the traders that operate in Portobello Road. 

I used to live in Ladbroke Grove and know how dodgy those people are.

In my opinion it´s impossible to tell UK citizens to move on. Some can not even live with the thought of missing tea-time. ????

People can move on when Dominic has moved on.

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

 

 

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

They're all remainers, this letter from Barnier shows what it's all about :

 

 

 

 

Not true, steve baker, the first tory to call for cummings to quit, is a full on brexiteer. 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-politics-52789404

4 hours ago, fasteddie said:

Did nothing wrong? so making rules then breaking them yourself is not wrong? That's a mighty fine attitude to have in a dictatorship maybe.

seriously what rules did he break ?

 

there were very clear exceptions as pointed out many times 

 

HE DID NOTHING WRONG

 

go educate yourself, this is left wing nonsense - anti brexit anti government of the highest order 

 

DC is a hero trying to protect his family and not breaking any rules 

 

time to move on from this BS 

 

and time the mainstream media started reporting news instead of the left propaganda they are pushing all day every day

 

I want news - events, not what Adam Boulton or that other hag Burley voicing their unwanted opinions, who gives a flying ......... what they think

go look at the real news, do a search for twitter ReasonedUK and get it how it is 

 

the whole media engine in the UK is seriously (deleted) 

8 minutes ago, smedly said:

seriously what rules did he break ?

 

there were very clear exceptions as pointed out many times 

 

HE DID NOTHING WRONG

 

go educate yourself, this is left wing nonsense - anti brexit anti government of the highest order 

 

DC is a hero trying to protect his family and not breaking any rules 

 

time to move on from this BS 

 

and time the mainstream media started reporting news instead of the left propaganda they are pushing all day every day

 

I want news - events, not what Adam Boulton or that other hag Burley voicing their unwanted opinions, who gives a flying ......... what they think

Are you for real?

2 hours ago, bannork said:

People can move on when Dominic has moved on.

Does that Include Ian Blackford as well

Ian Blackford MP travelled over 600 (620+ ferry) miles with Covid symptoms into self isolation from London to the Isle of Skye

Returned to Skye from Westminster but into isolation as a precaution away from Ann and everyone else given the prevalence of the virus in London. The right thing to do but hard not seeing Ann. #StayHomeSaveLives
27 Mar 2020

https://twitter.com/Ianblackford_MP/...60209163833344

 

Cummings was told his wife was sick so he went home. After a few hours she felt better so he returned to work. if cummings thought his wife ill then the rules are that he and all others in the house must stay and remain for 14 days. 

 

When he returned home she was sick again.

 

Essential travel does not include travel to other homes, they must stay in the primary residence. Whilst at the other residence he admitted going out for walks with his son. Prohibited.

 

He also drove to the hospital to get his wife by saying there were no taxis. Prohibited.