EVESHAM’s former Labour Parliamentary candidate has branded Dominic Cummings decision to drive more than 260 miles during the lockdown ‘an insult to British people’.
Helen Russell spoke out after the Number 10 Svengali admitted travelling from the capital to his parents home in Durham for childcare support after his wife began displaying coronavirus symptoms.
Mr Cummings made the journey despite official Government advice to stay home and avoid contact with family members outside of those in the same household. The government defended the Prime Minister’s chief adviser and said the trip was necessary as both he and his wife had coronavirus symptoms.
The under-fire advisor told a press conference on Monday (May 25) he had no regrets about his actions and was doing what was best for his four-year-old son because his sister and niece would be able to support him with childcare if necessary.
Miss Russell said: “I have heard from many local residents who are angry, at Dominic Cummings but also Boris Johnson.
“People across the UK are making sacrifices and are doing so because their government has rightly stressed the need for these sacrifices to be made to save lives. It is an insult to British people, who have been following the lockdown rules, Mr Johnson has chosen to defend Cummings and impose no sanctions.
“In doing so he has undermined the lockdown, put lives at risk and completely disrespected everyone who has been trying, through adversity, to do the right thing in this crisis.
“What people need from their government is clarity, consistency, and a sense that those sacrifices are being respected by everyone, no matter how high in status – this government is not providing any of these things,” she said.
Her views were echoed by David Haslam, chair of Evesham Labour Party who said: “The fact Mr Johnson cannot see that Dominic Cummings’ position is untenable casts even more doubt on his judgement – which has already been called into critical question over the failures to institute an early lockdown, provide sufficient PPE and adequately protect care homes.”
