Johnson Says Britons Can Meet Outside as Cummings Row Lingers
U.K. Police Say Cummings May Have Broken Lockdown Rules
(Bloomberg) --
Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried to move on from the controversy over his top aide’s behavior, announcing the U.K.’s lockdown will be eased to allow small gatherings in parks and private gardens.
The premier spent another day fighting off questions over the behavior of Dominic Cummings, his chief adviser, after police said he may have broken coronavirus regulations.
Johnson used a set-piece news conference to announce the next stage in the government’s lifting of the restrictions he imposed two months ago -- opening shops, some schools, and allowing as many as six people from different households to meet outdoors.
But the past week of political and public anger over his chief adviser’s decision to move 260 miles from London to Durham at the peak of the pandemic continued to dominate political events. Johnson faced another barrage of questions over his handling of the issue, and intervened to stop his two most senior pandemic advisers from responding.
Police investigating Cummings concluded he may have breached his own government’s coronavirus regulations when he drove 26 miles with his wife and son on April 12 to a local beauty spot. If officers had caught him at the time, they would have intervened, Durham Constabulary said in a statement.
But the force said there was no apparent breaking of social distancing rules and police will not take any further action against him.
Johnson’s poll ratings have fallen and more than 40 of his own Conservative colleagues have expressed outrage at Cummings’s actions, demanding that he lose his job.
The prime minister hopes to move the debate away from the controversy and put the focus on the next steps for the U.K.’s virus response. On Thursday he set out how parts of the economy will be able to reopen in the weeks ahead:
- People will be allowed to meet in groups of six, including from other households, in parks and private gardens from June 1. Johnson said this would enable individuals to hold barbecues and garden parties but people must still keep to social distancing rules and stay two meters apart.
- Nursery and primary schools and outdoor markets will be able to open from June 1, with some secondary education and all other shops able to open from June 15.
During the press conference, Johnson blocked his Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance from answering questions from the media about the Cummings controversy.
Scientists who feed information and advice into the government have said the row has undermined efforts to persuade people to stick to the regulations needed to halt the spread of the virus.
“Durham Police said that they were going to take no action and that the matter was closed,” Johnson said in answer to one question. “I intend to draw the line under the matter.”
The Cummings saga has already cost the government political support as Johnson’s poll ratings tumble. The prime minister has backed his aide and urged the country to “move on” and focus on the next phase of the battle against Covid 19.
The central allegation against Cummings is one of double standards -- that he ignored his own government’s orders to “stay at home” and traveled 260 miles to Durham to seek childcare help from his parents. At the time Cummings’ wife was unwell with virus symptoms, which he soon developed.
Then, while the government was telling people to avoid all unnecessary trips, the adviser took a 30 minute drive to Barnard Castle, a beauty spot. He said it was to check his his eyesight had recovered sufficiently for him to attempt the longer journey back to London. It was this journey that Durham police decided may have breached the rules.
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