Dominic Cummings to make statement as resignation calls grow
The Prime Minister’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings is to make a statement and take questions later today, Downing Street has confirmed.
Cummings is facing calls for his resignation after being accused of breaching lockdown rules by travelling to his parents’ house in Durham.
In the Downing Street briefing on Sunday, Boris Johnson said Cummings had behaved “legally and responsibly” having followed a “father’s instinct”.
However, pressure has started to grow on the PM’s aide following news that a police chief has formally written to Durham Constabulary to request they “establish the facts” on the trip and whether Cummings broke the law.
Acting police and crime commissioner, Steve White, wrote to Durham chief constable Joe Farrell asking her to establish whether there had been any “potential breach of the law”.
Johnson is also facing a revolt from his own party, as the opposition called for Cummings to be sacked. Now, 19 Tory MPs have publicly called for the PM’s aide to stand down.
A joint investigation by the Mirror and the Guardian revealed on Friday that the PM’s adviser, his wife and young son had travelled to his parents house in late March. He and his wife both had coronavirus symptoms and self-isolated for the recommended 14 days in Durham.
More to follow