Yahoo News Coronavirus: Public anger after Dominic Cummings travels 260 miles to parents’ home during lockdown
People have reacted angrily online after it was revealed the prime minister’s chief adviser travelled 260 miles to stay with his parents during the lockdown.
Dominic Cummings was criticised by social media users who felt it was unfair because they had stuck to rules more closely.
Many of them could not see their loved ones, attend funerals or be present at the birth of their children because of the restrictions.
Cummings travelled with his wife, who was suffering from suspected coronavirus, and his son from London to Durham in late March.
Downing Street claimed he did this to ensure his son could be cared for by his sister and nieces if he and his wife got too ill.
But in a YouGov survey held on Sunday, 58% of people said Cummings should resign while 28% thought he should stay.
The following people were not pleased with Cummings’ decision to visit his parents during lockdown:
I’m fuming. All those men who missed their babies being born, all those elderly mums and dads dying alone while their kids cried at home, all those unattended funerals. All on the instruction of a government now defending a mate who chose to take his suspected Covid on a roadtrip
— Sali Hughes (@salihughes) May 23, 2020
My baby was born in Oct at 26 wks gestation. She was in NICU in 3 diff hospitals for 96 days. After this she was in isolation for 2 months, then she received a shielding letter. We have barely seen another human in 7 months yet Dominic Cummings visited his parents? I despair
— Mrs R 🤖 (@livsrodrigues) May 22, 2020
So none of our parents have been allowed to come and help us out in the last few weeks of my pregnancy and might not be able to see the new baby (if they ever arrive) but so glad that Dominic Cummings was able to prance around his parents' garden to Dancing Queen with coronavirus
— Marianne MacRae (@MarianneMacRae) May 23, 2020
A 13 year old boy died without his family... millions of parents..including single parents! have been struggling for weeks... people have died alone..we’ve done as we were asked, for everyone! Cummings is a national disgrace!! #CummingsMustGo
— Jackie Frances ‘filthy cultist’ (@pompeyblonde1) May 23, 2020
Expectant fathers can't even go into maternity scans, but Dominic Cummings can travel 200 miles to sing along to ABBA in his parents backyard? #sackcummings
— Shane Horan (@ShaneHoranPR1) May 23, 2020
Like Dominic Cummings, my parents live in Durham. I grew up there. Next week is the funeral of a school friend - it's being held online because his friends can't travel to Durham and attend in person.
— Rachel Stevenson (@rachelstevenson) May 23, 2020
According to a joint investigation by the Guardian and Daily Mirror, Cummings was spotted twice in the North East over the course of almost a week, between March 31 and April 5 – eight days after the lockdown began.
Number 10 has defended Cummings and he has also said he believed he acted "reasonably and legally".
So far Boris Johnson has resisted calls to sack him and Cummings himself has refused to resign.
Transport secretary, Grant Shapps, revealed during the daily coronavirus press conference at Downing Street the PM backed Cummings.
He said: “The prime minister would have known he was staying put, and he didn’t come out again until he was feeling better … the prime minister provides Mr Cummings with his full support”.
A Downing Street spokesman added: “His sister shopped for the family and left everything outside. At no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter, as is being reported.
“His actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines. Mr Cummings believes he behaved reasonably and legally.”
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