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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
ShinyS1 · 25/05/2020 19:54

"Someone in today's paper said that it's not a question of Right or Left. It's a question of Right or Wrong. Absolutely true."

Absolutely false. With a vague hint of right or wrong. Everybody knows this. And he wasn't in the wrong, as he explained.

SharonasCorona · 25/05/2020 19:58

@ShinyS1

Nope, not true for me so stop with the ‘everyone knows this’. Don’t speak for me. As I’ve always said on MN, I didn’t vote in the last general election or in the Brexit referendum. I have no axe to grind and will call out wrong.

thisenglishlife · 25/05/2020 19:59

The issue isn't whether he is a good father or husband. The issue is that as part of his job, he was involved in producing the stay home, protect the NHS, save lives policy. Which he himself didn't follow. This risked spreading the virus and now has undermined the policy and public safety.

Therefore, the issue is should he keep his job, is he credible? Whether what he did was reasonable isn't really the issue. This policy has meant individuals have made personal sacrifices. Non of it is reasonable. Of course, it's not reasonable for a person to die without loved ones, or for people to suffer illness without loved ones or be buried alone. It's not reasonable for people to be at home while their businesses go bankrupt. Non of it is reasonable. But people have endured it because they were asked by the government because of this virus.

Dom's story is full of holes and half truths, he has shown that he will do what he wants, guidelines be dammed.

merrymouse · 25/05/2020 20:01

The UK has turned into a toddler who has been stopped from having haribos all afternoon and is now on the floor having a tantrum.

You must be communicating from a parallel universe.

We are in the middle of a pandemic that has halted everyday life. The government's proposed route out is tracking, testing and enforced isolation, but the government has just told everyone that the isolation rules are optional for people with children.

I don't care whether Dominic Cummings keeps his job. I care that the government prioritises protection of his ego over control of the virus.

thenamesarealltaken · 25/05/2020 20:02

Personally I've been in lockdown for 10 days longer than the official lockdown, with my 10, now 11 year old and been to the supermarket 3 times - I'd bought extra shopping each week, for weeks since January, as I saw lockdown coming. I didn't panic buy! I work from home, long hours, didn't send my daughter to school despite being a key worker, to not over-burden them, etc. It is out of respect for others, not out of fear or due to rules, that I am conforming to lockdown, etc.

But, ... I do understand the "exceptional circumstance" rule, as all rules have one. I'm open to try to understand other's perspectives. I guess I'm just glad he hasn't spread the virus.

CoachBombay · 25/05/2020 20:07

The rules have always been exceptional for those with young children.

I don't know why people didn't know this.

My friend lives in a 9th floor flat with a 4 year old. During the strictest lockdown she still took her 4 year old out 3/4 times a day to play on the grass adjacent to the tower block! Nobody I know or her neighbours thought this was poor of her to her knowledge. She was looking out for the health and wellbeing of her child.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 25/05/2020 20:08

I don't see his circumstances as any more "exceptional" than thousands and thousands of other people struggling to care for their children, with symptoms of Covid, or without, tbh. As for the 30 mile trip to "test his eyesight", that's about as plausible as Prince Andrew and the Pizza Express.

He fucked up massively. He should - at the least - apologise, not keep saying black is white.

merrymouse · 25/05/2020 20:08

And he wasn't in the wrong, as he explained.

He said he drove for 30 miles to test his eyesight.

He might not think he is in the wrong, but I don't think his judgement is worth much.

GabsAlot · 25/05/2020 20:13

well apart from here noones buying this guff-he tested his eyes by driving-on his wifes birthday

tory tory tell us a story

ZombieFan · 25/05/2020 20:13

So looks like he has done the sensible thing. The left are just drooling at the chance to pin the blame for the pandemic on a government adviser. Turns out he hasn't broken any rules and the story is a media witch hunt.

SharonasCorona · 25/05/2020 20:14

Yes driving 30 miles to test your eye sight is really sensible Grin

ZombieFan · 25/05/2020 20:15

He said he drove for 30 miles to test his eyesight
Umm no he said he was good to drive home but his wife wanted the test drive, to check his eyesight.

SharonasCorona · 25/05/2020 20:15

Yes let’s blame his wife! Pathetic

lissie123 · 25/05/2020 20:17

Why would his wife lie in her Spectator article about Dominic’s Covid I’ll saying they were in London when in fact they were in Durham if they didn’t think they were doing anything wrong??

merrymouse · 25/05/2020 20:17

The rules have always been exceptional for those with young children

So was it your understanding that you could drive 30 miles from your house, for no apparent reason, except maybe to endanger other road users, as long as you had a child in the car?
.

Strangerthantruth · 25/05/2020 20:18

To avoid the loonies that are now invading that property "in the public interest".

hammeringinmyhead · 25/05/2020 20:20

I suppose you can only check your eyesight if you take all household family members with you, have a nice sit down by the river, and make sure it'a a naice tourist town. As I said, couldn't possibly have popped over to Stockton on Tees or the Boro.

Grin I think it's absolutely hilarious that there are people here defending him. You're either bots or stupid.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 25/05/2020 20:21

"The rules have always been exceptional for those with young children"

But really his kind of decision is really exceptional amongst the exceptional, isn't it? It's hardly taking your toddler to the park twice in one day territory, is it?

SharonasCorona · 25/05/2020 20:21

How would saying you’re in London help stop said loonies invading your London home? Logic doesn’t compute.

And well done for resisting the urge to say ‘lefty loonies’, I’m sure that really hurt.

ruthieness · 25/05/2020 20:23

I might get ill and need help to walk my dog so to make sure I am prepared for this exceptional circumstance I will now be driving to meet up with a number of people so they can get to know my dog - and also so I can test my eyesight/car battery/driving skills

CoachBombay · 25/05/2020 20:28

Yes he's stretched "exceptional" but meh, whatever each to their own. The guidelines allowed open interpretation and self judgment. He did it and lawfully did it. You can disagree with someone's judgment but a witch-hunt isn't necessary on this one.

I've got more to worry about than a rich man stretching exceptional, as have many of us. It's what all the rich and privileged do.

FliesandPies · 25/05/2020 20:30

My friend lives in a 9th floor flat with a 4 year old. During the strictest lockdown she still took her 4 year old out 3/4 times a day to play on the grass adjacent to the tower block! Nobody I know or her neighbours thought this was poor of her to her knowledge. She was looking out for the health and wellbeing of her child.

Not remotely comparable. And did she have symptoms of CV? Did her child?

hammeringinmyhead · 25/05/2020 20:33

Not all the "rich and privileged" are special advisors to the PM during a global pandemic, with the clout to undermine the whole lockdown strategy by saying "The guidance says do what you like if you're a parent." Are they?

hammeringinmyhead · 25/05/2020 20:34

And as far as he knew all three of them were infected and contagious. I absolutely do not believe that he didn't take the car out to fill up in London before they left.

CoachBombay · 25/05/2020 20:34

Flies the point was she still broke "lockdown guidance" and didn't adhere to once a day.

So if everyone wants to get up in arms about rule breaking, then it's all or nothing. You either followed the rules or you didn't. So you either dish out a red card to all the team or none of the team. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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