If you are a Conservative voter how do you feel about Dominic Cummings apparent power over Boris Johnson?

[applesnotoranges]

Just that really. When scientific advisors have been sacked for flouting the rules and Boris Johnson comes out and says Dominic Cummings did nothing wrong how do you feel?

My father has been taken into hospital today – not covid related – but my mum is on her own. They have been in isolation since the beginning of lockdown. My instinct is to go and be with my mum as she is 200 miles away and alone.

Thanks for the detailed layout of the guidance, PigletJohn. I'm fully aware of the guidance as I am the law under the Coronavirus Act 2020.

He went against Goverment guidance. Those aren't rules. He got in his car with his wife and child and drove up the motorway to his parents. He went against health guidance. However, the debate is, was his excuse 'reasonable' to leave his home, is the lawful element.

I'm in England

I'm still not regretting voting for a local Conservative MP.

Ferguson brazenly breached guidance also. He still has his job. Very little frothing about that.

These are not 'rules'

^ spot on pigletjohn^
It's easy to forget, now that lockdown is being eased, that we were all asked/told to stay at home to help prevent the spread of this deadly virus.
If is wasn't serious then why was there a lockdown?
There is no justification in DCs actions.
Families weren't allowed to visit dying relatives - I consider saying goodbye to loved ones as they leave this earth for good way more important than visiting your mum on her birthday and going out for nice day trips which DC did.

This is the problem. People bending what happend to suit. We could all have done that.

I'm not quite sure why some posters insist on using the term 'frothing' when someone asks a perfectly reasonable question. One can only assume that they're rattled and not sure what else to say when trying to make excuses..

These are not 'rules'
Ah hang on! May be I am being thick but I think we are close to tanking the economy of both UK and USA on some mere rules basically.
How stupid of all of us!

Never quite sure why posters don't read posts.

Never quite sure why the media scrum who have broken social distancing rules outside DCs house hasn't been picked over.

If 'he broke the rules' is the best argument, then it is lost.

great to know that bakedcam thinks nobody is obliged to stay at home or practice social distancing, even if they are ill with CV19.

If 'he broke the rules' is the best argument, then it is lost.
Why? Because others broke rules too?

@saraclara yes I agree it's not comparable. He apologised which Cummings hasn't done.

"This is not a request, it's an instruction"

You're wrong there, Piglet. How you have derived that from what I have written is beyond me.

In all the 'guidance' not the 'rules' it was directly stated that children of separated parents were able to transport their children. There were many reasons whereby people could leave their home.

Do I think he should remain in his role? No, I think he should step down.

Nowhere have I said it was acceptable that people with Covid-19 symptoms should recklessly leave their home.

Interesting though, that the general consensus is that a scientist that advised a reckless lockdown who thought he was immune, 'broke the rules' to shag someone else's Mrs. A mother of three. That is really interesting. Or didn't you say this?

Well I’ve been a Tory all my life and I’m furious!

If snidely DC had an ounce of decency he would step down but instead has chosen to put Boris into the “Fire” , (Although Boris should grow a pair and dump the toad.)

There are no excuses at all for his actions and I feel his failure to step aside along with Boris’s dreadful decision to support him has given a great deal of weight to Labour. I can’t imagine KS tolerating this for a second although it hurts me to say so.

Here we are @BakedCam

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350

No where in the The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (England) Act 2020 does it stipulate travelling when you are infected the length of the country is a reasonable exception.

And certainly not go to the woods or sightseeing for a birthday jaunt.

Do I think he should remain in his role? No, I think he should step down.

If you don't believe DC broke any rules, why do you think he should step down @BakedCam? Genuine question.

Thanks, Madroid. It also doesn't say, one cannot. Given that legislation has yet to be tested in court, none of us will ever know. The very best any of us has, is shouting on a forum.

The legislation also doesn't give the media permission to not social distance. Anything to say about that?

Thought not.

@bakedcam

"it was directly stated that children of separated parents were able to transport their children."

but not in the circumstances of this case.

Show me the paragraph you think you are relying on.

He didn't 'break rules' (we are not children) be we t against public health guidelines. That is why I think the decent thing for him to do is to step down as Government Advisor @Megatron

I also happen to think this ridiculous outrage swamps the real scandal of this crisis. That of care homes and the discharge of the most vulnerable being sent back to care homes. That is the real scandal.

Hope that answers your question.

The media should observe social distancing. They should follow the guidelines.

Dominic Cummings should have obeyed the law. BJ should fire him or resign.

PigletJohn, parents who had a child/ren were permitted under the stay at home orders to take that child/ren to the other parents house with social distancing. That was a reasonable excuse to leave their home.

Can you accept that? It wasn't relying on that exception in this case. Just as you're relying on your mixed up version of what I was thinking.

I am a Tory voter and still support BJ though am distressed at how mealy mouthed he has been about this.

I think DC has been an arse and whether he has broken 'rules' or 'guidelines' is irrelevant.

Those in the public eye should know that their behaviour will be observed and should therefore be above reproach. Others will probably also follow their example. Also, it bemuses me that if he was too sick to care for his child he was able to undertake a long drive (with no need for loo or petrol?).

He should go. BJ should be forthright about the breach (though it is a difficult time to lose an advisor).

1Hope that answers your question.

It does, thank you @BakedCam, I've kind of assumed that when people say broke the rules they mean went against public health guidelines anyway. I think it's just a different way of saying the same thing.

You're welcome @Megatron

I accept that there are different meanings drawn from different words.

@bakedcam

"PigletJohn, parents who had a child/ren were permitted under the stay at home orders to take that child/ren to the other parents house with social distancing. That was a reasonable excuse to leave their home. "

I see your problem. You are under the mistaken impression that Cummings is separated from his wife, and that she lives in Durham. In both respects you are wrong.

Now that you realise that you were mistaken, no doubt you will withdraw your previous claim.

I’m by nature a conservative voter. However, my Tory MP is a deeply unpleasant man with a with a voting record that suggests he is misogynistic, racist, homophobic and anti-choice, so he will never get my vote.

That aside, I will never vote conservative while Johnson is PM and Cummings remains in his role. Loathsome individuals and raging hypocrites. Honestly, I’d even take Michael Gove in preference to Johnson. I’m really hopefully that Keir Starmer can put together a strong, credible opposition, but we’ll see. I can’t remember UK politics ever being as lousy as it is now.