So angry about this witch hunt

No Varian, you know me very well and although I was surprised how my name looks on my return I have just substituted "umteenth" for MK whatever came next.

I can quite easily see me having yet another sabbatical from GN if those I thought would think things through are so deep into "anything they do must be wrong" in the case of "DC/BJ" that simply because I do not agree that a lot of gossip and innuendo makes a case against someone mean I am uncritical of those two men. I try, unlike some, to criticise where criticism is due and to reason where that is required - which it very much seems to be at the moment.

The vitriol is because as one journo put it he 'drove a coach and horses through the spirit of the lockdown regulations'. People are really angry about it. He cocked up. Should just have apologised. His refusal to indicate any understanding of how his behaviour was seen indicates a profound disregard for us. Just us. The general public.

It’s not even the spirit of the regulations it was the actual regulations (lawyers very clear about that on Twitter)

His story has so many holes I’m stunned anyone believes a word of it.

But we are grown-ups Jane10 and we know that, however we see what he did, we will continue to do what we know is best for us and our household. Just as he believed he was doing.

Catherine Calderwood, the Scottish health advisor, had to resign from her post, as did Prof Neil Fergusson. These people were responsible for telling us to stay at home, as is Cummings - what is so different about him that he shouldn’t also do the same?

I think Stephen Kinnock also behaved badly and should be ashamed of himself, as should any of our representatives who have done the same. I don’t think he is influential as to how the pandemic is dealt with but a police fine wouldn’t have gone amiss, to show that these folk aren’t any different from anyone else.

He isn’t apologising because he felt under the circumstances that his actions were justified and I agree.

I am pleased the PM is supporting him.

The scrum of journalists outside his house though is disgraceful.

A test drive - that was such a feeble excuse!!!!!!

I haven't driven for weeks.
Perhaps I should go for a test drive to make sure I still know how.

I would be justified.

No Varian. I've been here quite a long time and post occasionally.

GGumteeth I think we should all be allowed to use our judgement.
I know what is best for us, but Cummings, Johnson et al know better and made rules for the rest of us to obey.

If he took his child to Durham to protect him, why did he bring him home again,that's what i don't understand,and sounds as if the child was with him all the time,if he didn't have contact with his parents
A lot of people are going to do more travelling and staying away from home now
Also why [if she could drive] why didn't his wife drive home
Most people i think in his situation would have made arrangements before hand in case of illness
I did feel a bit sorry for the grilling he got, no need for all those journalits, but i do think he broke the rules everyone else had to follow

You don't need to be "justified" Callistemon, you are allowed to.

How come an unelected bureaucrat gets his own press conference?
Difference between him and Kinnock is D Cummings is running the country.

Not here, I'm not! The police are waiting to pounce just up the road and threatening fines if we drive to the woods for a walk.

I think Cummings was ineffectual and appalling on tv....and as there was a lockdown when he went to Durham there wouldn’t have been many people outside his house, and if there had been he could have called the police because it would have been against the rules and they would have been told to leave and fined! And doesn’t his wife drive? if so, why couldn’t she drive the car back anyway......no trial run needed!

Tell them you're not sure your vision is ok so you're testing it.

GGumteeth I think we should all be allowed to use our judgement.

I know what is best for us, but Cummings, Johnson et al know better and made rules for the rest of us to obey.

Oh dear Callistemon. Just what are you getting out of this? That's their job. We have, in many ways, much worse to come for many while we try to rescue the economy. Let's worry about real issues or just let go of the attempt to destroy someone else. It was all going so well, at least on the kindness side of things.

The scrum of journalists weren’t even six inches apart........ let alone 6ft.... did they even care ?NO.!

Callistemon then those policemen need to be put right as to what we are allowed to do! You can now drive almost anywhere you like, especially to take exercise somewhere like a woodland walk.Get in the car girl and do it.?
Good for the car as well.

Why should they, when the people who make the rules don't?

Not here, I'm not! The police are waiting to pounce just up the road and threatening fines if we drive to the woods for a walk.

I don't know how long ago that was but we are now allowed to travel where we want to - much to the chagrin of Scotland and Wales and many of the usual holiday haunts. Also, the police pulled back from what they admitted was an overreaction.

If you know so little about these things how can you be so sure you are right about Cummings?

Ha. It was wasn't it, Gumteeth!

What I am getting from all this is a confused message.

'Follow the rules but use your own judgement and do what you think is best for you and your family even if it means breaking the rules and spreading the virus.'

As I'm not allowed to drive to a beauty spot I am going to get Peggy out of retirement, saddle her up and trot (or walk) to the woods.

We have been treated with utter contempt by both Boris and his puppet master.
Cummings is an unelected advisor who appears now to be running this country.
Like Calderwood and Fergusson he decided he was above the rules that the rest of the country were being asked to adhere to. Unlike them he didn’t have the decency to resign and actually had the audacity to attend a press conference defending his decision and when asked refused to apologise.
I had a lot of sympathy with Boris but now feel he has to go together with his advisor.

I hope Peggy is a horse?