LEADING BLACK MPs have been scathing in their criticism of Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s chief advisor after he gave a press conference yesterday to explain why he drove more than 260 miles to his parents’ home during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown. 

In an unprecedented move for a political adviser Cummings held a televised press conference in a bid address the growing row and answer critics who have called for his resignation.

He told journalists he had not spoken with Boris Johnson before deciding to take his family to County Durham after both he and his wife developed COVID-19 symptoms making the care of their four-year-old son difficult.

Intense scrutiny

Prime minister Boris Johnson has come under intense scrutiny for defending his chief aide’s actions  saying that Cummings had acted “responsibly, legally, and with integrity” and had followed his instincts as a father by travelling to seek possible backup childcare for his four-year-old son.

Among the cabinet members to support Cummings were chancellor Rishi Sunak and Michael Gove who told Sky News that Cummings’ has ensured that his family had ensured that they maintained social isolation and had reduced the risk of the infection spreading to anyone else. 

He also criticised those who thought Cummings had not acted wrongly as not fair minded.

However his defence brought a scathing reaction from shadow justice minister David Lammy. 

He tweeted: “So Michael Gove is now suggesting that anyone who thinks Dominic Cummings acted wrongly is not ‘fair-minded’? What an insult to the millions of Brits who are understandably angry, after sacrificing so much by sticking to rules the government said everyone should follow.”

Referring to Cummings’ defence of his actions during his press conference Lammy said: “Forget the personalities. The primary duty of any government in a deadly pandemic is to give its citizens clear public health advice. Dominic Cummings just confused the entire nation.”

Complete disdain

And in an earlier tweet, speaking about the prime minister’s defence of his chief political aide during a televised address he said: “This evening Boris Johnson went full Donald Trump. Insulting the nation’s intelligence with complete disdain for the truth. Putting his selfish reliance on Dominic Cummings above public health. Respect to the few Conservative MPs prepared to break ranks.”

Also highly critical of government ministers who defended Cummings was Brent MP Dawn Butler. 

Speaking about Gove’s defence of his colleague she said: “Can you imagine a government minister having to demean himself to protect Dominic Cummings? what on earth does he have on them? it’s embarrassing! we are in the middle of a pandemic made worse by this mans warped mind.”

‘Big fat lie’

She added: “The big fat lie needs investigating. He travelled, he drove, he left the house! The government ministers said it was fake news. Let that sink in.”

Following yesterday’s press conference Hackney and Stoke Newington MP Diane Abbott tweeted: “So Dominic Cummings makes his statement. But remarkably the word ‘sorry does not pass his lips.”

Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary Marsha de Cordova wrote on Twitter: “Cummings broke lockdown rules. As simple as that. He’s offered no apology and insisted it was a “reasonable” thing to do. An insult to the British people & to all those who have sacrificed so much.”

During the Downing Street press conference, when asked why he was not resigning, Cummings said: “There is understandable anger but a lot of that anger is based on reports in the media that have not been true. It’s extremely regrettable that the media were told some of these things were wrong and reported them anyway.”

He later added: “I have not offered to resign … I have not considered it.”