Will he resign?

For a start, Cummings knows how Brexit was "won". Johnson has staked his future on delivering Brexit and he must know that there is pressure to ask for an extension.

I know there's speculation about Cummings having some dirt on Johnson, but I'm not so sure. Quite honestly, Johnson has done OK, even with the "dirt" on his affairs and children, collusion with beating up an old friend, proven lying, etc. My late father, a true blue old style Conservative, would have had no time at all for Johnson, but somehow or other people don't seem to care.

I think there's something else, but I guess only time will tell. My personal view is that Johnson is a fraud, he's nowhere near as intelligent as he pretends to be, he's no strategist and he needs somebody to pull his strings. I suspect Gove is looking on and smacking his lips.

What utter contempt the Government is showing for us all by closing ranks around this odious, lying little man.

Don't forget that Cummings is still in contempt of Parliament.

They're all giving us the two fingers.

There is a change.org petition , worth a try to attempt to force the PM to do the right thing and oust him.

I think it's interesting that there are people on this thread, with whom I have rarely ever agreed with before, but we seem to feel the same. This is about basic decent values and honesty, not politics.

A couple of weeks ago there was a thread complaining about journalists. This is the value of good journalism.

Precisely growstuff, we may all have differing views on some things, but our basic core values of decency, honesty, and doing the right things are seemingly universal amongst GN’s.

I think he will go, but he'll still be there in the background, just without the job title. Matthew Elliot and the people from the Tufton Street think tanks, who are the real forces behind Cummings, will still be there.

Even the Conservatives must realise by now that public opinion is against Cummings. With him there and the shambolic cabinet, who've been appointed because they support Brexit and not much else, the Labour Party with Starmer in charge will make mince meat of them over the next few years. They could almost be the script for political sitcom.

PS. And Farage will still be around for a while, like a flea on a donkey's hind quarters.

I am so very impressed with Starmer, it’s our misfortune that he wasn’t Labour leader during the election.

Do you have a link to the petition Nana58?

If they do not get rid of Cummings, then the public will have every right to ignore any future advice from the Government and to refuse to pay any fines for any infringement.

And we can all see our grandchildren this weekend. We have only to say our children were feeling poorly and needed our help and they can come and visit!

Here's the story about Cummings' subsequent little trip to Durham. Spotted on 19th April

Oh, and his expedition to Barnard Castle (30 miles from Durham) when he was supposedly self isolating, and to Houghall woods to see the bluebells...(which are a stunning sight, we have been most years)

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/23/new-witnesses-cast-doubt-on-dominic-cummingss-lockdown-claims?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I don't see how he can possibly survive now.

No 10 has resorted to saying that both stories are false.. I don't think they can get their lies to fit any more...

The Durham police (No 10 claimed they hadn't spoken to Dom) have expanded their statement. Just imagine. Cabinet ministers accused the police of lying. Like petty criminals claiming they've been framed...

This Johnson’ s little nugget of nonsense

ALASTAIR CAMPBELL
@campbellclaret
You keep thinking it can’t get any more putrid. Then up pops the former lover of the current fiancé of a PM who can’t enumerate how many kids he has with a story briefed by said PM (who never appears in public) defending Cummings on the grounds that he wasn’t shagging. 1/2

This is definitely an extension of the lockdown new rule Shapps made up today. It means we can all go wherever the hell we want provided we don’t have an illicit relationship. Venality meets incompetence meets depravity meets hypocrisy off the scale. 2/2

Shame too on Jenny Harries for broadening the parameters of the rules in retrospect to accommodate Cummings’ behaviour.

Nfkdumpling, just go to change.org then choose search and type in Cummings.

I’ve instructed my son to pack a bag and drive here with his family immediately if he feels a bit under the weather.

Well, it seems as though I was wrong. I can't imagine why they're all defending Cummings. They're making themselves look worse by the minute.

It's obvious that the British public are all thick morons because we must have all misunderstood The Rules.

The police too.

They have no choice I suppose , if the ship goes down all the rats sink.....

My daughter and Sil live 12 miles away with my 2 oldest grandkids. I’d normally be at their house 3-4 times a week to fill the gaps between their shifts.
Then enjoy the kids with me for a weekend sleepover most weeks. Like most law abiding grandparents I ache to see and hug them.

My son and Dil and 2 little ones live 130 miles away with no family support nearby. I have sleepless nights worrying about them if the 2 adults become ill with covid and unable to care for the kids.

The answer was there all along. My daughter 12 miles away can employ me as a live in childminder/cleaner.

My son can pack up the car and drive 130 miles and move in to my house here. Then we can all support each other.

If only they’d made that all clear from the start!

In response to MaizeD's post - No, I really don't think he will resign, unless public opinion & media response becomes so strong against him that the PM has no alternative but to let him go. (Unlikely). I think he will come out of this unscathed, sadly. He might disappear into the background for a while, but he'll still be there.

He's too thick-skinned and arrogant to resign.
However, if he is sacked, it will be reported that he has resigned.

I think that he has made himself so unpopular with many MPs and the civil service that if he goes there will be no way back in for him because ranks will close to repel him.

I suspect that there will be a backbench revolt if he doesn't go...

I suppose all you can hope for is that there are some decent folk in government ..doesn't look that way at the moment but just maybe someone will put their head over the parapet and make some sense of what these clowns are up to