Dominic Cummings ‘might’ have broken lockdown rules, say Durham Police
Dominic Cummings “might have” broken lockdown rules when he made the 30-mile trip from Durham to Barnard Castle, according to the Durham Constabulary.
In an official statement, the police force also said that Cummings’ initial trip from London to Durham was not in breach with the coronavirus lockdown laws.
However, Durham police said the senior Number 10 aide’s Barnard Castle trip may have been a “minor breach” that “warranted police intervention”, but they will not investigate the matter further.
“Durham Constabulary views this as minor because there was no apparent breach of social distancing,” the statement read.
In response to the ruling, Downing Street said: “The Prime Minister has said he believes Mr Cummings behaved reasonably and legally given all the circumstances and he regards this issue as closed.”
Cummings said at a Downing Street press conference on Monday that he drove from Durham to Barnard Castle to “test his eye sight” to see if he was fit to drive back to London after having coronavirus.
The Vote Leave mastermind also said he also acted “legally and reasonably” when he made the initial 260-mile trip from London to Durham two weeks before the Barnard Castle incident.
Cummings drove to his parents’ guesthouse in Durham with his wife and young son to self-isolate while he and his wife had Covid-19 symptoms.
He said that he made the trip during the coronavirus lockdown to ensure his son had proper childcare, which he claimed was within the rules.
Cummings denied reports that he had made a second trip to Durham after returning to the capital on 14 April.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stuck by his most trusted adviser and yesterday told Westminster’s Liaison Committee that he had seen evidence to show Cummings had not travelled from London to Durham twice.
He also said there would not be any inquiry into the saga.
“A lot of what was written and said over Saturday and Sunday was false in respect to my adviser,” he said.
“It wasn’t correct and I think he’s had an opportunity to clear the matter up.
“I’m not certain right now that an inquiry into that matter is worth officials’ time – we’re working flat out on coronavirus.”
Johnson has stood by Cummings, despite more than 40 Conservative MPs calling for him to resign.
Public polling has also shown that a majority of people think he should step down.