Coronavirus: Did Dominic Cummings flout lockdown rules with ‘second trip to Durham’?

New claims that Dominic Cummings flouted lockdown guidelines emerged on a day when ministers vociferously defended the prime minister’s top aide.

News broke on Friday that he travelled to Durham to be close to his family after his wife began showing symptoms of coronavirus.

The government spent Saturday rallying round Boris Johnson’s special adviser with Transport Minister Grant Shapps saying it had always been permissible for families to travel to be closer to their relatives as long as they “go to that location and stay in that location”.

During Saturday’s Downing Street press briefing Mr Shapps claimed: “It’s for an individual to make the decision: ‘How do I make sure I’ve got enough support around the family?’

“I think that will be different for different people under whatever circumstances their particular family differences happen to dictate.”

Since then, new claims have been made by two eyewitnesses who told the Observer and the Sunday Mirror that Mr Cummings and his wife were again up in County Durham the weekend after he had returned to work.

It is claimed he was spotted in Houghall Woods near his parents’ house on 19 April, which was going against the government’s stay-at-home message.

People are not permitted to stay overnight anywhere other than their main home – including travelling to second homes or staying in caravans.

“Leaving your home – the place you live – to stay at another home is not allowed,” it says.

On Easter Sunday, retired chemistry teacher Robin Lees, 70, claimed he saw Mr Cummings and his family walking by the River Tees in Barnard Castle, about 30 miles from his parents’ home.

Until Saturday night, ministers seemed to be under the impression Mr Cummings had stayed put during his time in Durham.

Mr Shapps said: “The decision here was to go to that location and stay in that location.”

But the trip to Barnard Castle on 12 April if correct, would cast doubt over that assertion.

So did Mr Cummings flout the guidelines? He can claim he travelled a “reasonable distance” for exercise, in accordance with guidance issued by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the College of Policing in early April.

It stated: “We don’t want the public sanctioned for travelling a reasonable distance to exercise.”

The guidance states it was permissible to drive to the countryside for a walk, providing more time was spent walking than driving.

The government’s guidance published when lockdown began listed the circumstances in which a person may leave their home. They included:

– For work, where you cannot work at home

– When going to shops that are permitted to be open – to get things like food and medicine

– To exercise or spend time outdoors

– For any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid illness or injury, escape risk of harm, or to provide care or help to a vulnerable person.

Travelling long distances so that childcare could be provided by relatives was not included in the government’s guidance.

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Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, joining a chorus of ministerial support for Mr Cummings, said: “Dom Cummings followed the guidelines and looked after his family. End of story.”

However, the government’s shutdown guidance did not state that people were free to make sure they had easy access to their family support networks.

It said: “You should not be visiting family members who do not live in your home.

“You should keep in touch with them using phone or video calls.”

The guidance also did not suggest that people could travel to a new address in order to get extra help, stating they were not permitted to stay overnight anywhere other than their main home – including travelling to second homes or staying in caravans.

“Leaving your home – the place you live – to stay at another home is not allowed,” it said.

Only in exceptional circumstances were people allowed to attend relatives’ homes; to drop off food, for example, or to deliver medicine to their door.

It added: “If you are showing coronavirus symptoms, or if you or any of your household are self-isolating, you should stay at home – this is critical to staying safe and saving lives.”

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Did Dominic Cummings flout lockdown rules with ‘second trip to Durham’?