Who can travel? Princes and prime ministers?

well said MaizieD my post crossed yours

Baggs ...'where his wife was' - in Chequers. Quite. She moved around a bit from Flat in No.10 - their official home, to their private flat in London to Chequers all during Lockdown - not a comment as media were all sentimentally engrossed in his illness and the new baby. The point is that thousands of ordinary people had the illness and new babies and they stayed n isolation and sacrificed their freedom voluntarily. It is bad governance to flout the rules. Do you remember how the royal family's gesture during the war to stay in London during the Blitz went down n history? That is what pays off in leadership...leadership.

Who else was going to look after Cummings's children while he and his wife were both ill?

According to Mrs Cummings' touching account in the Spectator she and Dom did the childcare all on their own.

According to Laura Kuensberg last night her 'source' at No 10 (aka Dominic Cummings) told her that they went to Durham so that his parents could look after the child.

According to the spin that is now being put out by various cabinet ministers on twitter, they took the child to Durham so that Dom's sister could look after him.

Take your pick of the stories..

After seeing how badly it took Boris Johnson, perhaps they were afraid it would affect them badly too.

They were in Durham on 31st March, which is when the police spoke to Dom. This was before Johnson got really bad. Johnson wasn't hospitalised until early April. By which time Dom was much better and dancing to Abba with his son in his parents' front garden.

So, no, that one doesn't wash..

And don't you think there were a lot of people who thought (indeed, still think) that covid19 would affect them badly who weren't allowed to drive 250 miles to take refuge from it?

Also, didn't BJ go straight to Chequers, where his fiance was, straight from hospital? What's wrong with that?

He was breaking his own rules, that's what was wrong with that. If Carrie was at No 10 when lockdown started that's where she should have stayed and where Johnson should have been discharged to.

I take it, Baggs, from your unconcern about people ignoring the lockdown rules, that you don't think that lockdown is really worth observing?

Domwe know who devised the sodding rules? I thought our government was just panicked into doing what other countries were doing.

I don't think the guidelines made exceptions under the heading of "if you think you may get ill"

Lucca, that poor mother! I don't think I could have done that. Isolation at home with the rest of my family, yes, but not separately from the new baby. I'd want to breastfeed it apart from anything else.

I think the point is that the rules cover everyone especially the ones who devised the sodding rules.

What doesn't make sense about Cummings is that he and his wife were too ill to look after their child but well enough to drive a long distance,

Put like that, I agree, but it does make sense if they expected to get a lot iller, as Boris had.

I think there must be a special panel of liars, working tirelessly in damage limitation exercises.

They must all be thinking up all different ways to try and justify all the accidental mishaps made by the exceptionally arrogant.

What doesn't make sense about Cummings is that he and his wife were too ill to look after their child but well enough to drive a long distance,

It's ok though.
He drove all that way in anticipation of being ill, apparently. Arrogant idiot.

Baggs. I know of one family with two kids under 5 whose mother gave birth and was sent home being told someone in the ward has tested positive for the virus and she had to isolate in bedroom while OH cared for new baby and two other children. One rule for some....

I can not even begin to imagine how it must feel for the family of the 13 year old boy who died to realise that it's actually not that important to do as asked.

Everyone who has lost someone, in fact, but that little soul's death sticks in my mind.

My greatest worry since the start of the pandemic has been what if my son and Dil 130 miles away become ill with the virus and unable to care for their 2 young children. Being told I cannot travel there to support them if needed is giving me sleepless nights.

But the action of the Cummings family takes it to a different level. While the majority are abiding by the rules and not seeing their grandchildren they ignored isolation advice.

They left home feeling unwell with symptoms and drove 250 miles. Difficult to think they managed that as an unbroken journey while feeling unwell and with a child in the car.

Then arrived to stay with grandparents knowing they brought the virus to their household.

Should they have been driving, then??
All that way???

Who else was going to look after Cummings's children while he and his wife were both ill?

After seeing how badly it took Boris Johnson, perhaps they were afraid it would affect them badly too.

Also, didn't BJ go straight to Chequers, where his fiance was, straight from hospital? What's wrong with that?

Oh!
My dear or darling children, Lisagran!

Which flu are you talking about, quizqueen?
Would that be H3N2 or Type B?

Don't forget we have COVID19 which is sweeping the world too, causing devastation.
However, yes, there are also flu and other viruses still doing the rounds. We tend to forget that.

Damn! 'prepared to bet...'

There's a whole thread about Cummings on the News & Politics forum if people don't want to swap between 2 threads. Called 'Will he resign'

There was lots of criticism on here about the Queen and Prince Charles at the time that they travelled to wherever they are now.

Only muted criticism of Johnson because his Granfan club doesn't seem to think that the rules apply to him at all.

I'm wondering where he is now, actually. We're still not supposed to be stopping at holiday homes or second homes but I'm prepared to be that he's at Chequers for the Whit recess...

There has never been a rule that people can't shop, though.

Those who are vulnerable are sheilded to protect them, but they are free to go out, as long as they distance.

my DC. I thought you meant “my Dominic Cummings” Callistemon.

The Queen could have been in contact with people incubating the flu at the last memorial service she attended and then went to isolate with Philip to be looked after by lots of staff. Let's face it, anyone who also went out to a supermarket during lockdown to shop must be the devil incarnate!!

paddyanne

I think I remember you saying what Cath Calderwood did was something you'd expect Boris to do! No, it was something which she did.

In fact, these rule bending actions are not exclusive to any one party it seems, so there is no point in making it political.

Some people, of all parties, are arrogant and selfish and think the rules only apply to the plebeians.

Well, I thought that my DC would never have put us in that situation.
We heard it on the news last night and were shocked. The children could have been symptomless but still carried the virus to their grandparents.