Will he resign?

I think his sister and her family live near him in London so surely they could have delivered shopping, and if not he must know other people who live near, most councils have people who will deliver basics to those in need. Funny it should be on his mum's birthday.

He still cant escape the fact, that as someone in his own household was already ill/showing symptoms HE SHOULD HAVE STAYED AT HOME& ISOLATED- along with his wife& child. If his aunt could not travel to him then arrangements would have had to have been made for social services to look after his child if he too had become ill with covid19 at same time as his wife- if social services could then have safely placed the child with cummings family then they would do so- thats how it would be for normal folk,and its what he should have had done too- NO need for him to make a long drive with a sick covid carrier in his car at all.

Other people in other administrations in the uk resigned or were sacked. But in Westminster Cummings looks untouchable and is putting two fingers up the those who obeyed the rules.
Did Boris say if he goes I also go , and that is why the lap dogs of the cabinet are supporting Cummings?

If hes got family near in london then why not get them to come round and collect his child???its one cover up after another!

Jabberwok people do actually live in Barnard Castle you know and they are allowed out for their daily exercise. Cummings didn't live there, wasn't even living in his main residence and still chose to make an unnecessary visit from where he was saying. Really even if you like the man, even if you give him one chance (the drive from London) he hasn't broken the rulles once, he has ignored them whenever it suited him.
Watching Grant Shapps on Andrew Marr- rabbit! headlights! I almost felt sorry for him.

I am heartily sick of the hypocrisy of this government and their lies, I voted for them for Gods sake, never again!! I couldn’t see myself voting for any of the parties either frankly, they are ALL self serving, money grabbers. I will have to go and vote because of the Suffering of previous generations to enable it, but I really think I am now “none of the above”. I can’t stick any of the loathsome self serving liars anymore.

Gosh! I have a dad in a care home with 2 deaths so far.... a sister with Down syndrome in a care home! I carefully kept to lockdown. My daughter on her own with 2 young children (1 had symptoms). She didn’t ask us to help and would not have. This Cummings didn’t just take his virus up to the poor people in Durham putting them at risk. He put his elderly parents at risk. We sat and watched every evening the Government’leading’ us through this whilst not bothering themselves. Don’t bring Brexit into this!! It was wrong. It was disrespectful and it was dangerous. And don’t mention the fact that he’s been up there a few times (allegedly). Since you have bought politics into this how would you react if it hat been Corbin? Hmmmm

"We have become a nation of the unfit, grossly obese, lung problems and heart problems, perhaps that is why we are dying in bigger numbers than elsewhere"
So those who died are culpable? Very Trumpian. I've heard that blame-game on Fox News.

Does this government have to commit mass manslaughter before they are held responsible ...or it that already the case?

He drives a Range Rover which has the capacity to go much further than 260 miles on a tank of petrol.

^ How come all these people who saw them out and about were out and about themselves?!! Barnard Castle would have been closed over Easter?!! Surely the person?!) who saw them on the bluebell wood shouldn't have been there either?!!^

Nice try, Jabberwok

1) If the people who saw them 'out and about' were local there was absolutely no reason why theu should not have been out taking their allowed daily exercise.

2) Barnard Castle would have been closed over Easter?!! This is hysterically funny!

Barnard Castle IS A TOWN. The castle ruins, after which it's named, are completely accessible to the public at all times, no entry fee, no nothing, just wander around as you please. The town is very pleasant.

3) The bluebell woods at Houghall are also freely accessible to the public and would be a popular venue for Durham City residents taking their daily permitted exercise. They are accessible on foot from the southern side of Durham City. The bluebells are indeed stunning at bluebell time. I've been several times to see them over the years...

My daughter had the virus. Her husband and 4 year old son self isolated. Would it have been OK for them to come to stay with me. I think not!

Well then let Boris go too- maybe its time they gave Labour party a try?surely we couldnt do any worse! Strange how theyve not started up a petition to make cummings go, cause they know we would all probably sign it.

Whatever the reason and whatever the justifications offered, the plain fact, as stated in many, many posts above, is that he broke the rules. There was no integrity whatsoever in his actions and he should be called to account not hide behind privelege, power and entitlement.

What about the author who flew from New Zealand to Heathrow, hired a car and drove to his cottage on the Isle of Skye. His reasoning: he and his wife wanted some "space" from one another. His bladder must be cast iron to do they journey without a confirm break. Some car too he can drive that distance without refuelling and of course the length of time for the plane journey plus the drive is this man bionic. What happened to him - Police Scotland spoke with him, no fine, nothing! So DC will have the same reprimand as many others who have ignored the rules and there are many of them, they just haven't been reported.

Surely he had (friends!?) even who could have looked after his child if it became necessary?The whole 3 of them should,according to the rules,or 'guidelines' have been self isolating.!!! In their own actual home!!! Im sure its a bloody excuse and hes being let wriggle out of it!!

DC is the power behind the government so can do anything he likes. He got BJ his dream job of PM and so has a puppet to play with. This behaviour is hardly surprising if you are above the law. DC's rule is 'you do as I say and not as I do'

Not only did DC travel 250 miles with the virus to be with 'vulnerable parents' and to protect his son, he also travelled back to London, another 250 miles. So in one round trip he spread the virus throughout the country. DC's argument is he was looking for childcare while he and his wife was ill. So his decision was to put his son and sick wife, in a closed environment of the car, and drive for hours, whilst coughing and sweating the whole time. Great protection for his 4 year old. With that level of decision making no wonder the country is in such chaos.

That is not the end of the story, now we are told that he has done this round trip at least 3 times since lock down.

So where does that leave us? I am sick to death of hearing people doing their own thing regardless of others. I for one will be glad when this whole mess is over. I am desperate to see my new grandson, now 2 months old and miss the family terribly but I will not put them in jeopardy for the sake of a few more weeks or months.

I need something to look forward too and thinking about seeing the family again keeps me going.

Lovely twitter thread here which expresses, I think, the selflessness of most people's responses to lockdown and the covid crisis.

The reason you've made these awful, difficult, even heartbreaking decisions, isn't, in most cases, because you're scared of breaking the rules.

It's to keep yourself and others safe.

And I don't want you to forget that.

etc.

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1264414161485905920.html

Cummings has been the subject of a parliamentary enquiry before and couldn't give a damn

Conclusion
33.We accept the DCMS Committee’s views that the evidence they sought from Mr Cummings was relevant to their inquiry and that his refusal to attend constitutes a significant interference with the work of that committee. For the reasons set out in paragraphs 18 to 32 above, we reject the arguments adduced by Mr Cummings in defence of his conduct. We conclude that Mr Cummings committed a contempt both by his initial refusal to obey the DCMS Committee’s order to attend it and by his subsequent refusal to obey the House’s Order of 7 June. We regret the tone which Mr Cummings adopted in his dealings with the DCMS Committee and in the comments posted on his blog. This attitude did not serve the interests of civilised public debate.

34.We recommend that the House should admonish Mr Cummings for his contempt. We recommend that, following recent practice,21 the admonishment should take the form of a resolution of the House. This resolution, if agreed to, should be communicated to Mr Cummings by the Clerk of the House.

Note the sentence about his 'tone'.

He is contemptuous of everything.

So his wife has been saying how ill he(cummings) was- but i thought HE was saying it was HIS WIFE who definitely had it?? So which had it? Both? Then they should have been at their actual home address,isolating ,along with their child,who had also been exposed to it.How can he wriggle out of that fact?? And it doesnt matter if the 'stay alert' message is muddying and confusing - thats now- that was back in march when the 'stay home!' message was bloody clear!

What was he supposed to do about care for his child when both he and his wife were ill?
Scotland's second minister did not NEED to visit her second home

I seriously doubt whether he would resign, way too arrogant.
He has little concern for anyone especially his parents who should have been protected.

I am sorry but I thought gransnet was a sensible discussion site but it turns out it is just getting to political and government bashing for me

This post has attracted so much interest.
Of course he has to go...he is very arrogant and an arch hypocrite.
But he hasn’t the integrity to resign, and Boris hasn’t the integrity to sack him.

Did the police speak to him or not? As a resident of County Durham a police officer said, on our local news, that they did but downing Street denying it
DC needs to go