Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not understand the outrage at Dominic Cummings?

999 replies

Wow123 · 25/05/2020 08:08

Please don’t flame me for this. I’m not posting this to be controversial. I am someone who always tries to see the good in people which has been to my detriment at time’s in the past so I’m very well aware that maybe I’m missing something here and being too kind when he possibly doesn’t deserve it.

My understanding is that Dominic Cummings is saying that he only returned to Durham on one occasion which was because he had fears about potentially being unable to look after his child if him and his wife both ended up too unwell with Covid. I can understand the logic in that.

I appreciate the government advice at that stage was to stay home but if he genuinely didn’t have anyone to help with his son, then I can understand his fears and that he was trying to put his child first as any parent would.

My understanding is that a matter of days after, the government did clarify that travelling in the event of needing support with children if you had caught covid was an exceptional circumstance and that travel in that instance was acceptable.

I personally live hundreds of miles from family and don’t have anyone I could ask for help in the local area was I to become unwell with Covid so this does resonate with me.

I understand that there were sightings of Dominic Cummings on other dates in Durham which indicate that he travelled back up there. If this is true, I definitely agree that he needs to be sacked, but at this stage, there is no proof of this.

Am I missing something here?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
JudyCoolibar · 25/05/2020 15:45

@VenusTyger, the bits you quoted from my post are the responses that I predicted if Cummings had posted about his predicament on MN. They were based on the many posts that have been around subsequently. Nowhere did I say that they all represented my situation - manifestly that could not possibly be the case, since one postulated a couple in partnership and another postulated a single parent. Do try to concentrate.

you probably won't get so ill probably, crystal ball at the ready. The child comes first, every, single, time. A child is a minor.

If that is the case, maybe you shouldn't coop your child up in a car with an infectious parent for hours on end. Really, doing what Cummings did is only justifiable if there is absolutely no other alternative, and that cannot have been the case at the point when he himself wasn't ill.

JudyCoolibar - pps suggesting the child be taken into care by a "hub" that offers isolation. Keep up

So what? Its not what I was suggesting. Keep up.

DressingGownofDoom · 25/05/2020 15:46

So many people have suffered by following the rules of this lockdown - rules DC came up with - dying alone, unable to attend their husbands and wives funerals, the list is endless and we all know it so there's no point going over it all. And DC isn't in it with us, it's one rule for him and another for us. I'm not angry, I'm livid. I've never been so outraged with the government in my life.

DressingGownofDoom · 25/05/2020 15:48

I will actually be annoyed if he does resign, he should be sacked.

SharonasCorona · 25/05/2020 15:50

my friends' autistic daughter would not get into a carer's car and travel to a safe place without her parents

There is no evidence that his son has autism

StealthPolarBear · 25/05/2020 15:50

As a pp says its less about him now and more about the defence of him, while suggesting the rest of us misunderstood the rules.

SharonasCorona · 25/05/2020 15:51

I’ve had coronavirus and by many accounts I should now have immunity for the next 6-12 months at least. Maybe I’ll go swanning around and drive 4 hours to see family in Yorkshire.

merrymouse · 25/05/2020 15:52

What if DC had posted on Mumsnet a couple of weeks ago saying my wife and I both have the virus, I am in a job that's really fundamental (eg let's say I'm a surgeon who saves many peoples lives) but I have child with ASD who is only comfortable with one relative. WIBU to break lockdown to go to that relative?

Confused I don't understand where you are coming from here.

An honest post would be:

"my wife and I both have the virus, I am in a job that's really fundamental, I advise the government on strategy and communications during the pandemic, but I have child with ASD who is only comfortable with one relative. WIBU to break lockdown to go to that relative?"

and the only reasonable reply would be

"Are you on glue? You have the information, please could you tell all the other families who have a child with ASD what they should be doing".

GetOffYourHighHorse · 25/05/2020 15:52

'Dominic Cummings wasn’t ill'

We don't know do we. Let's wait for 4pm to hear the facts about who did and didn't have it.

The media reaction and sm abuse has been disgusting. Those on twitter that pretend it's all about going to isolate near family and not that fact Cummings is loathed are talking out of their arses tbh.

VenusTiger · 25/05/2020 15:52

JudyCoolibar - pps suggesting the child be taken into care by a "hub" that offers isolation. Keep up

So what? Its not what I was suggesting. Keep up.

I was explaining what I meant Judy! because you didn't understand where I'd got the info. from - I explained that other pps had suggested it! Can't you read?

maybe you shouldn't coop your child up in a car with an infectious parent you don't think a vulnerable child won't want a cuddle from mommy and daddy - oh no wait, they could infect the child! Have you heard yourself.

wrinklin · 25/05/2020 15:54

@Ulver This is what’s happening when accounts are made specifically to push a govt or individuals agenda online in order to try and massage or “nudge” public opinion.

Why do you think anyone who disagrees with you has to be a suspicious account? Is it because in RL you just surround yourself with people who agree with you and assume that's representative of everyone? It's a common problem.

Before this weekend I couldn't give a hoot about Dominic Cummings, apart from thinking his views on Brexit were distasteful. Now I find myself feeling sorry for him and defending him ... I do think his actions were close to the wire, and need some explaining, but the outpourings of hate against him on social and mainstream media have been appalling and compleyely unwarranted.

I also think its a disgrace that a 13yo's funeral is even being mentioned in the same thread ... its completely irrelevant. Yes the boys parents should have been able to go to hospital with him and go to his funeral ... but the fact that some over-zealous interpretation of the guidance prevented that does not make D.C.'s completely unrelated behaviour any more wrong.

Ulver · 25/05/2020 15:55

The media reaction and sm abuse has been disgusting.

Watching your PM blatantly lie on behalf of someone who has broken the rules and lied about police advice given is way worse than anything said about Cummings on SM. Cummings astroturfing On SM to protect his shoddy reputation is Also abhorrent.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 25/05/2020 15:56

'I’ve had coronavirus and by many accounts I should now have immunity for the next 6-12 months at least. Maybe I’ll go swanning around and drive 4 hours to see family in Yorkshire.'

Ah yes exactly the same situation Confused.

Maybe this is why they have said simply 'stay home' as some people seem unable to understand exceptional circumstances.

Ulver · 25/05/2020 15:57

I couldn’t attend my relatives funeral ( he died of the virus) or see my Grieving family and comfort them.
As I didn’t want to break the rules or spread the virus.
I’m obviously just seen as a complete moron for doing this.

Ulver · 25/05/2020 15:58

GetOffYourHighHorse

There were no exceptional circumstances in Cummings case.

lynxca16 · 25/05/2020 15:59

Well this will be good:))

Ulver · 25/05/2020 16:00

Having the virus does not guarantee immunity.
Where is the testing for people who have had it to see if they are still infectious?

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 25/05/2020 16:01

What happened to the #bekind mentality only a few months ago, the media leaving his property were disgusting.

Personally if they feel they cannot cope, then they should seek help, even if that’s 280 miles away.

He hasn’t done anything wrong and the backlash he’s getting from the media and public is horrible.

He was seeking help from his family, not seeking his mistress!!

ypestis · 25/05/2020 16:01

So your support Cummings but don’t agree with lying or spin?
Right that’s credible
About as credible as all of the lies and excuses coming out of no 10 right now

Not sure where you’ve got the idea I support Cummings. I don’t think (what we have been told about) Cummings’ circumstances were exceptional. I think he’s decision to travel was not in rules (as perceived by the majority of people). And I think the way they are spinning the situation is offensive to the British public because it assumes we are idiots. I was actually 90% supportive of the government up to now.

SharonasCorona · 25/05/2020 16:03

Maybe this is why they have said simply 'stay home' as some people seem unable to understand exceptional circumstances

It maybe because the man who coined the term ‘stay home’ hasn’t been staying home so why the fuck should I.

Ulver · 25/05/2020 16:06

He was seeking help from his family, not seeking his mistress!!

The irony of Boris saying this was not lost. Boris has s as n affair with his now girlfriend while his wife was suffering from cancer. What a guy.

Ulver · 25/05/2020 16:08

I live in London where I think people are just going to completely ignore govt advice about large gatherings if the Govt carries on defending Cummings with obvious lies.
It’s untenable.
The police are absolutely furious.

ypestis · 25/05/2020 16:09

Maybe this is why they have said simply 'stay home' as some people seem unable to understand exceptional circumstances.

Yes if the PM’s chief adviser can’t grasp the concept what hope do the rest of us have.

puffinandkoala · 25/05/2020 16:10

Even if he did resign to satisfy the baying mob he'd be back in post three months later.

Look at the Cabinet - several sacked ministers back in post like Pointless Patel and Gavin Williamson.

SharonasCorona · 25/05/2020 16:11

There should be rules against that, @puffin, it makes accountability a joke.

wrinklin · 25/05/2020 16:18

@Ulver "I couldn’t attend my relatives funeral ( he died of the virus) or see my Grieving family and comfort them. As I didn’t want to break the rules or spread the virus.I’m obviously just seen as a complete moron for doing this."

No, you were following the rules.

D.C. was also following the rules when he journeyed north. It was a different situation, but he was following the rules - the whole rules, including the smallprint, rather than just the headline slogans.