Coronavirus: Tory MPs urge Dominic Cummings to resign

APD NEWS

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Several Conservative MPs have called for the PM's chief adviser Dominic Cummings to quit, amid claims he broke coronavirus lockdown rules.

The aide is facing allegations of a second trip to the North East, reported by The Observer and Sunday Mirror.

Downing Street says this is "false" and cabinet minister Grant Shapps says Mr Cummings - who has been seen going into No 10 - will not quit.

Steve Baker is among the backbench MPs to question his position.

Mr Cummings refused to answer questions on the fresh allegations from reporters and TV crews outside his London home on Sunday.

On Saturday, he and the government had said he acted "reasonably and legally" in response to the original claims that he drove 260 miles from London to County Durham with his wife, who had coronavirus symptoms.

Labour has called for an urgent inquiry into the allegations, while government ministers rallied around Mr Cummings on Saturday and defended his conduct.

Matt Hancock and Michael Gove were among those to back Mr Cummings for self-isolating at a property adjacent to other family members in case he and his wife needed help with childcare during the lockdown.

Mr Cummings told reporters outside his home on Saturday that he would not be resigning and had done the "right thing".

The two newspapers have now reported witnesses saw Mr Cummings in Barnard Castle, more than 25 miles from Durham, on 12 April.

On 14 April, he was seen in London. According to a witness, he was spotted again near Durham in Houghall Woods on 19 April.

Mr Cummings is yet to publicly respond to the new claims, but the Sunday Telegraph reports he told Downing Street he left Durham on 13 April, and that the claim he made a second trip from London was "totally false".

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the BBC's Andrew Marr that the claims of a second trip was "untrue".

When asked if Mr Cummings was going to resign, Mr Shapps replied: "No."

But there are growing calls from backbench Tory MPs for Mr Cummings to consider his position.

'Position is untenable'

Ex-chairman of the European Research Group (ERG) Steve Baker told the BBC: "The country can't afford this nonsense, this pantomime, Dominic should go and we should move on and deal with things that matter in people's lives."

Tory Sir Roger Gale said there "cannot be one law for the prime minister's staff and another for everyone else".

Conservative MP Caroline Nokes tweeted: "There cannot be one rule for most of us and wriggle room for others."

Colleague Simon Hoare called for Mr Cummings to "consider his position", Tory MP Damian Collins said the government "would be better without him" and MP Craig Whittaker said Mr Cummings' position "is untenable".

Tory MP George Freeman said a couple taking their child to their grandparents because they have Covid-19 symptoms was not a "sacking offence" but he said it was "time for an apology".

(BBC)