To think that Dominic Cummings DID break the rules?

[LumaLou]

The day after reportedly developing coronavirus symptoms, Dominic Cummings and his family travelled 200 miles to self isolate.

While I can understand the desire to be near family, AIBU to think they should have isolated at home?

Many families in the UK have faced situations where sticking to the rules has at best inconvenient, at worst traumatic. They have managed to do so with less of a support network and less resources at their disposal than the Cummings family.

It's not one other thread. This is the 5th I've seen. There may be more.

Those aren’t the rules for when you have symptoms, @WeaselKnickers. Those rules are very clear indeed. Screenshot from NHS website.

Those aren't the guidelines if you have symptoms, are they? The guidelines on lockdown may be confusing to some, but surely you understand the ones on those with CV? You should by now.

Hi @knittingaddict

I think it does come down to what we mean by the rules. What I posted are the legal rules for everyone (or were until they were relaxed). The rest is guidance, not mandatory.

Of course he did. I’m surprised that people are shocked by this. The conservative government hold people in contempt. Of course there’s one rule for the little people and one rule for them. Guarantee he won’t be the only one that broke the rules and gets away with it.

The rest is guidance, not mandatory
But he wrote (or was involved with writing) the guidance. Can you really not see how hypocritical and arrogant this is?
Not to mention it completely shows up his wife’s writing and interviews as total lies as she says they stayed in London and he was too ill to get out of bed. Meanwhile, people in the area around where he stayed report seeing him dancing to ABBA in the garden with their child.
He does what he wants and knows he can rely on Johnson (and people such as yourself) to defend him.

Sorry forgot to tag @WeaselKnickers in the above

It's not one other thread. This is the 5th I've seen. There may be more.

It is never ending.

Yeah he broke the rules. Can’t believe the statement from DS.

Think it does come down to what we mean by the rules. What I posted are the legal rules for everyone (or were until they were relaxed). The rest is guidance, not mandatory.

It's bloody good guidance when in the midst of a pandemic though. Don't you think?

Hi @cardibach

But he wrote (or was involved with writing) the guidance. Can you really not see how hypocritical and arrogant this is?

I can.

He does what he wants and knows he can rely on Johnson (and people such as yourself) to defend him.

I can't stand the cunt and he doesn't need me to defend him! But the thread is about whether he's broke the rules, and if by that we mean the law then I doubt he did.

He totally did. They think we’re stupid. They think they’re too important to have to follow the rules which are obviously just for us plebs.

It didn’t ask if he broke the law. It asked if he broke the rules. If he had an ounce of moral fibre he’d resign and if Johnson’s had an ounce of moral fibre he’d sack him. So neither thing will happen.
Glad your assessment of him is similar to mine, Weasel!

@cardibach

Yes, absolute waste of breath calling for him to go, of course he won't!

M view is that the little people (like us) are upset as he broke the spirit of the rules, if not the letter. It’s just another example of the ruling elite and the wealthy holding the British public in utter contempt with their ‘let them eat cake’ comments and actions.

Prof Ferguson et al were thrown under buses by the Government when they flouted the ‘rules’ but Boris will be desperate to hang on to Cummings because he’s incapable of thinking for himself. Our Government is an embarrassing (national and international) disgrace.

So interesting that the Daily Mail now seems to be gunning for Cummings and the Daily Telegraph is publishing sympathetic interviews of Sir Keir Starmer.

I am the proverbial single mum stuck in a flat with children and no garden but I have been following the guidelines to the letter. I’m so enraged by Dominic Cumming’s sheer arrogance that I feel like ripping the police tape off all the playground equipment in our park and letting my toddler have her first play there in 9 weeks. I feel stupid and duped for actually complying with the regulations when our elite, who have roomy houses and huge gardens and every privilege imaginable, cannot endure lockdown in the comfort of their own homes.

Yes he broke the rules.

Small point on the "exercise at home rules"...
Initially, we definitely WERE allowed to exercise outside the home if SI with symptoms but had to stay 2m away from everyone else.
It was explicitly stated as an allowable reason to leave the house.

At some point that changed, but I don't know when as sometimes the rules were changed without an announcement (confusingly!)
I know that has no relevance to Cummings' behaviour of course.

Thanks New account for corona
Splitting hairs to distinguish between law and guidance when we are talking about the 'rules'
When Bojo and ministers and scientific advisors say on TV on many occasions that 'you should...' self-isolate etc its pretty much an instruction.

When Bojo and ministers and scientific advisors say on TV on many occasions that 'you should...' self-isolate etc its pretty much an instruction.

It is, but not a binding one! What's law and what isn't is quite important.

Agree with everything moominmammaatsea said

Of course he did.
One child to be looked after by two sick adults... Hardly insurmountable...
If they were well enough to drive safely that distance they were well enough not to need childcare help.
He exposed his parents who are presumably over 70 to a known risk... When there really wasn't a need..

They really have utter contempt for the electorate if they think we are going to swallow that excuse. There is no way that they had to drive 250 miles to get their child looked after.

He certainly did. But he’s above the rules so he’s fine.

Where did a PP read that they’d gone to isolate in an empty house? If that was the case, why?! I read they needed help with childcare in which case, they traveled to stay in another house with other people, potentially infecting those people. Definitely against the rules.

No, I think we mean rules Weasel. It doesn't have to be illegal to be daft and dangerous.

Of course he broke the rules. But it's one rule for people who have ever spoken out vaguely critically against the government, or who can be safely dropped from a great height, and another for the Tory Faithful and Acolytes of the Great Boris. Cynical? Moi?

@SquishySquirmy I’m pretty sure the rules for self isolating with symptoms were always don’t leave the house at all. That’s what I remember from early on - I had symptoms in about the second week of lockdown and it was certainly the case then.

Agreed cardibach. We've never been told that you can leave the house to exercise if you have symptoms. Not then, not now.