Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

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
bibbitybobbitycats · 25/05/2020 09:09

There have been a lot of these new poster politics threads recently. They all seem to be in support of the same political party.

Yep. Shills. They think we're too stupid to spot them. Just as Johnson thinks we're all fuckwits who should doff our caps and accept the situation now he has spaffed out his support for DC.

Read this tweet. Imagine how this person feels and many other like him. twitter.com/BenHorslen/status/1264608731951763464

The spinners can spin all they like, this is not going away.

Hadenoughfornow · 25/05/2020 09:10

* Yesterday he stood and in a few minutes has killed many more people*
This is hyperbolic bullshit. You're making yourself look ridiculous.

No its not. When he spoke yesterday he undermined the experts, he undermined everything that has been done for the last few weeks.

People will die as a result of those words yesterday. People will now chose to break lockdown because of BJ's words last night.

Even members of Sage have come out last night saying that BJ has essentially undermined everything that has been achieved in the last few weeks.

Peopme have sacrificed so much for the good of the country and then you have these 2 scumbags running it.

vdbfamily · 25/05/2020 09:10

A Discovery tank will manage over 600 miles. Yes, he broke the rules but if he drove from his address to a other private address and did not stop for fuel or toilets , he would not have endangered anyone at all. I really struggle to get worked up about this. When lockdown started, my brother and a couple of other friends were agonising whether driving to their childs Uni and collecting them could be considered essential or not. According to official rules, they could travel home on public transport but not by car. In terms of infection control that is madness but the government had to try and keep the message simple without being detailed on every possible scenario. It was a no brained to me....go and get your child. I think that is the problem here. Dominic probably understands Covid19 better than most. He would understand that if he planned it properly, he would present no risk to the public unless he had an accident. What he failed to realise is that he has to be a role model and follow his own simplified rules, otherwise anyone anti Tory will rub their hands in glee at the opportunity to get rid of him. So...he was an idiot, but I don't believe he put anyone at any risk. Covid droplets do not pass through car metalwork! And for those saying they MUST have stopped for toilet, I think driving that distance , probably in the evening, with toddler asleep and no traffic, would be doable for most without loo stop.

daisypond · 25/05/2020 09:10

you'd have thought that he was personally responsible for Covid 19 by the reaction of some people.
That’s because he is - responsible for the government response in his job, and responsible for spreading it around in a personal capacity.

lilgreen · 25/05/2020 09:11

I’m not sure I’d be up to driving 6 hrs with a child with asd if I was unwell and my wife was seriously incapacitated. I also wouldn’t dream of potentially taking the virus elsewhere or anywhere near my elderly parents.

Jennifer2r · 25/05/2020 09:11

You weren't using Mumsnet a month ago, OP, so you won't know what the general mood was then.

If you'd posted 'I have covid, can I...' we would all have been absolutely appalled.

The rules were very very clear

if you have coronavirus or coronavirus symptoms do not leave your house for any reason

There was no caveat.

lilgreen · 25/05/2020 09:12

Incidentally the cases of Covid increased in the NE later than London. Hmm

attackedbycritters · 25/05/2020 09:12

When you are in a position of unelected power, you have a responsibility to act at the highest levels, squeaky clean

And secondly, if there was a good chance he had the virus, surely he should have got someone to collect the child. If there wasn't a good chance he already had the virus, then he should have isolated himself and the child away from the mother. Like the shielded are expected to do,

Where did he get petrol, where did he go to the loo on the trip?

Haplap · 25/05/2020 09:12

You're missing everything.

ChocolatelyAsFuck · 25/05/2020 09:13

NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite the “facts” laid out in your post are complete and utter bunkum.

He didn’t travel because he was ill, because his wife was ill, for childcare, or so he could continue working. All just lies, lies, lies.

He travelled (multiple separate trips) because he wanted to escape London, and because he fancied some nice jollies to the countryside.

lilgreen · 25/05/2020 09:13

The media furore now is because he’s defending his decision. If he’d quickly admitted his mistake and resigned this wouldn’t be happening.

LolaSmiles · 25/05/2020 09:13

Another new poster who shows up harping on along the same political lines.

I'm cynical about the whole thing. The government wanted a herd immunity strategy, delayed lockdown, didn't really have a lockdown, government ministers contradicted each other and made a mess of what should be clear rules and just as the government is trying to push people back to work (obviously largely lower incomes whilst higher paid white collar workers can work from home) and the public don't trust the government it's suddenly released that Cummings didn't bother to follow the rules. It's almost like they're trying to generate a 'fuck it' response from the public and then they can blame the public for their persistent failings.

bibbitybobbitycats · 25/05/2020 09:14

I can understand the logic in that.

Even though he had relatives in London who could help out? Where's the logic in that? No. The truth is that he wanted to self isolate somewhere nice instead of sticking it out in London like the plebs have to. Oh and wasn't it mummy's birthday too? He is a cunt who despises people like us.

Fallsballs · 25/05/2020 09:14

Ok so in your opinion vdbfamily he “failed to realise he was a role model”. You have given us a detailed journey plan for him too !
Read back what you wrote as it doesn’t make sense.
Government aide failing to realise he’s accountable ? Eh ?

Thedogscollar · 25/05/2020 09:14

He helped make the rules then broke them. He is an arrogant twat of a man with no shame. Boris should have got rid, he is treating us with contempt and prioritising his "mate" over public health.
As for that shambolic performance by Bojo yesterday you couldn't bloody make it. Bojo had better watch his back the knives will be out now.

Thinkingabout1t · 25/05/2020 09:14

he had fears about potentially being unable to look after his child if him and his wife both ended up too unwell with Covid

He could easily have hired an excellent qualified nanny to look after his child at home, and nurses to look after him and his wife. Many MNers have had to cope with Covid and children without paid help.

DdraigGoch · 25/05/2020 09:14

I'm annoyed that it's so very high up in the news agenda. When they have briefings I want to hear about useful stuff like R0 etc. Not endless questions about whether an advisor has been naughty. Likewise when the Transport Secretary goes on Marr, I want to hear about transport, not yet more questions about some advisor.

lilgreen · 25/05/2020 09:15

I’m also pretty sure that in his position he could have got his child tested.

ChocolatelyAsFuck · 25/05/2020 09:18

The amount of posters going, “Oh but he only [confirmed lie] [confirmed lie] [confirmed lie] and whatif [hypothetical that’s already been confirmed not to be the case].”

Hmm
potter5 · 25/05/2020 09:18

OP you are being very goady. The common consensus on MN is that what he did is wrong on so many levels. Then Boris backed him. That was also wrong. Perhaps after reading all these posts you now understand!

Piggywaspushed · 25/05/2020 09:18

When did a 4 year old become a 'toddler'?

Allflightscancelled · 25/05/2020 09:18

It’s not because he’s a Tory that’s it’s bad. It’s because he steers the government who promulgated the lockdown. He was the person telling the rest of us never to break the rules.

This says it all. And I actually LIKE Boris J.

bibbitybobbitycats · 25/05/2020 09:19

I'm annoyed that it's so very high up in the news agenda. When they have briefings I want to hear about useful stuff like R0 etc. Not endless questions about whether an advisor has been naughty. Likewise when the Transport Secretary goes on Marr, I want to hear about transport, not yet more questions about some advisor.

Which is why Johnson should have fired him. Done and dusted and back to the important stuff. The media isn't going to focus on anything else for a while, it's too juicy a story.

Fallsballs · 25/05/2020 09:19

DC could have said “sorry” and admitted it looked bad. He could have admitted he has no friends or family to help in him in a London and no one to get shopping...but that would have looked like a big fat lie.
Nah, all he wanted was to be back at mummy’s dancing to ABBA.
Anyway she’s probably the only woman who’s even liked him.

monkeyonthetable · 25/05/2020 09:19

If I was in DC's position, I would choose

Why is his position so special? If I were in my position, I would go to visit my elderly parents one of whom is in a wheelchair and the other of whom has dementia and neither of whom really understood that they should be self isolating so were still going out and about and desperately sad and confused that we were socially distancing from them. They took it personally. In my unique and difficult position as a morally responsible adult child of frail and vulnerable elderly parents I would have made a decision that anyone might and checked up on them.

We have ALL been made to make hellish decisions that go against our instincts to show love and support for our dearest ones. The reasons were imposed on us by this government, advised by Cummins. his position is in no way more urgent or difficult than anyone else's.