"I had a very long interview with Dominic Cummings and I concluded that he followed the instincts of every father and parent, he acted responsibly, legally, and with integrity. " Sunday evening May 24, despite the controversy, Boris Johnson chose to save the head of his special adviser, at the heart of a scandal since the beginning of the weekend, for not respecting the rules of containment he had himself helped define. Mr. Cummings, 48, crossed part of England in late March with his four-year-old son and his wife who was sick with coronavirus, to seek refuge with his elderly parents.
"I will not deliver (Dominic Cummings) to dogs", would have assured Mr. Johnson to relatives, the day before, to believe the Sunday Times. End of the story ? Nothing is certain, as the controversy continued to swell in recent hours. The bias of the British Prime Minister is in any case very risky: with what credibility his government will he come out of this episode, when he enters a new critical phase of his deconfinement – Mr. Johnson confirmed the partial reopening of schools on the 1ster June? Nick Robinson, star reporter for BBC Radio 4, summed it up very well on Sunday evening, on Twitter : " In defending the fact that Mr. Cummings did what every parent should do, (the Prime Minister) invited every parent in this country to draw their own interpretations (of the rules) ”…
Downing Street tries to put out the fire
The case broke out on Friday evening May 22, when the Guardian and the Daily Mirror, investigating together, reveal that the influential Dominic Cummings left London in late March with his family to join Durham, his hometown, 260 miles north of the capital. He is worried that he too will fall ill and be unable to care for his child – he will develop symptoms by March 30. In any case, that’s what Downing Street explained at the start of the weekend, trying to put out the fire.
At the time, in full containment, the official recommendations were very clear: "Stay at home" (stay at home), except for essential travel (purchase of food, medicine). No visits to families – especially not to people at risk (the elderly, etc.). And if you have symptoms, isolate yourself at home for seven days – fourteen days for the rest of the family. Rules "Difficult", a real "Sacrifice" conceded the Johnson government in recent weeks, but which have been generally well respected. Road traffic in the country had dropped by at least 75% by early April.
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