To not understand the outrage at Dominic Cummings?

[Wow123]

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?

When DP was ill with COVID in March I did what many, many other people with a child did. I stayed home for 14 days, I slept in the living room, I home schooled and held down my job in that time. It was bewildering (we weren't even yet in lockdown yet so it was all new) and at times frightening as I knew I would be likely to catch it, and I didn't know if my asthma would exacerbate it.

I have no family where I live, but at no point did I even consider travelling to family, spreading the virus, putting family members and others at risk. Many many parents did the same, including single parents with limited options. It wasn't even a case of 'following the rules' - I'm not someone who is obsessive about that - it's was general common sense.

So, to me it's not understandable at all. But once you add in the fact that the stories keep changing and that there are so many unanswered questions, I really don't see how Cummings can continue in his role.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay - so does the Spectator which employs DC's wife.

I'm on several autism support groups and there is fury that this could be used to justify his trips. ( I get this hasn't been stated officially but it is flying around Twitter).

"Dropping an infected child off with elderly parents just in case you get too ill? Nah, not buying it."
Did he actually do that though? Weren't all 3 of his family living in a separate self-contained part of DC's property? I thought that BJ said the childcare wasn't needed.

My understanding from what has been said is that DC's parents would be available to provide childcare in the event that it was needed (i.e. if both DC and his wife became too ill with Covid-19 to care for him) and that the childcare was not required.

It seems we know very little. FWIW, I have avoided the news for a while and what I have seen he does seem like an arrogant idiot, but I still cannot get worked up about it.

Then perhaps you shouldn’t avoid the news, then, and you’d be less ignorant and stupid.

It’s all very well talking about ‘local support networks’ but how many people would honestly be able to call on friends/neighbours/any local relative, both willing and able to take on full time care of a child or children, who’d been living with parents now far too ill with the virus to look after them?

He was well enough to drive 260 miles and she was well enough to be writing newspaper columns though so in that case I wouldn't call on anyone, I'd just crack on. Which is what many, many parents have had to do over the last couple of months.

There is another thread going on where someone states they went to a BBQ. Not one person has criticised them, it’s people who hate the Tories who wait for the day when socialism comes to the UK. You will have a long wait......

DC did what he did because he is arrogant and entitled and genuinely believes that he is superior. He simply doesn't care about what you lot think - it is easily dismissed as irrelevant. But he also believes that experts are inferior to him and so their guidance is inferior - but it can be useful as a tool of manipulative power.

It is an interesting coincidence that at the time the public were ignorant of actions currently being taken by DC, our government had done a u-turn on a 'policy' of herd immunity and the stay home message had been officially adopted. However, public enlightenment has come at a time when the government is facing opposition to easing lockdown before effective and efficient testing and tracing measures are in place.

It is very useful that the publicising of this now and Johnson's unusual appearance at the press briefing to defend DC has provoked an emotional outburst. Obviously blatant wrong doing, rule breaking etc will result in justifiable strong emotions. But those thinking that DC broke the rules and so they can, are being manipulated into forgetting that they were/are staying home because they really do care about saving lives (not 'othering' the deceased - they were old and they were going to die anyway) not because they are unable to act without a clear set of rules and need to be told what to do and when.

DC/Johnson et al don't understand that normal people are not obsessed with power and control. Never having experienced a genuine emotion, they think the stay home message has been too successful and has resulted in people being too afraid to eg send their kids to school, return to work etc.

Any sociopath/narcissist knows that you need to bracket the real issue (global pandemic) and induce anger in others in order to manipulate them into doing what you want them to do when persuasion has no chance of succeeding (because you're bullshitting).

What puzzles me is, why hide it? If he acted responsibly, legally and with integrity, why tell the press he was in London at the time, and why did his wife write an article about their lockdown experience in London? Surely if they had been open about it in early April, the public reaction would have been sympathetic.

Did Stephen Kinnock not go and sing happy birthday to his dad? From the doorstep?

As many people have done? Its been all over social media, lots of people doing it. I don't get angry at them for that. I just smile and think how lucky they are they can do it. It was DC's mums birthday. He drove 260 miles to see her if reports are correct. And that was the 2nd trip.

Come on, that's not the same at all.

I can't see the issue. I don't know anyone that has stuck to lockdown 100%. He went once so thought probably doesn't matter to go back. Plus was most likely working on the assumption he then had immunity. He may have even had an immunity test done which in many countries gives you a pass to travel freely.

He's not elected. What he does in his spare time shouldn't effect his employment. Yeah its one rule for them another for us, but if you're that bothered more fool you for sticking to lockdown.

@NailsNeedDoing journalism is about holding the government and official bodies accountable to the standards they set. Preventing corruption, cronyism and foul play. It’s not just lifestyle articles. He’s guilty of all those things and I’m glad the press are holding him accountable for his actions! He travelled when he knew he had Covid, to have a jolly and be out of the city. Now he’s trying to spin that and they are protecting him. It stinks.

You do not know he made further trips to Durham from London.

He made at least two separate trips, one in March and one in April.

You’re still ignoring the outings to the bluebell wood and to the castle.

I have and so has all of my family.

I haven't read all 9 pages. Has the OP come back? Is it a joke?
It was against the rules.
He made up the rulea.
He was happy to see single parents, working parents, lots of other people who were genuinely ill, looking after their own dc, and following his rules.
Then he turns around and says 'not me'.
And Boris claims it was excusable. Implying any of us could have broken the rules at any point. So why did we even have rules? It's a cruel joke.

Id of accepted a "it was wrong, shouldnt have done it, i panicked" apology.

What riles me about this situation is that we are being told it was never against the rules when it clearly was (not just the travel aspect but the fact they were in the 14 day isolation as someone in your house has symptoms phase). Its a weird form of donald trump style gaslighting.

Its the same as boris' money on a bus, we know its a lie yet somehow they tell us we are remembering wrong, that it never happened and somehow despite knowing they are lying to us, we decide that its okay.

Ah I’m NHS, looks like we are all staying calm and carrying on. Can’t get worked up about it.

You don't understand?

He told us to 'STAY HOME'.

We stayed home.

People avoided seeing dying loves ones so as not to transfer the virus.

People struggled with childcare when both parents were ill.

People have been suck on small flats 'doing the right thing' and STRUGGLING for the greater good - because this is what our government advised.

Dom Cummings has driven hundreds of miles - transferring the virus up and down the country.

Sod the childcare argument. We all need childcare, we'd all love to drive to lovely Durham places to see our parents. But we have struggled along NOT doing that.

I am furious. Really furious. Mainly at Borris for supporting this - when he has atently being telling us to 'stay at home'.

I've had enough of the lot of them.

Fuck lockdown

I'm not abiding by anymore fucking rules from them anymore. That's it.

I’m a fool am I @HeatherIV? For trying to save lives and protect the nhs ? You’re as bad as him.

I am still waiting for someone to tell a Government Minister what Cummings did on his journey up.

It's disappointing for them that no one has told them what he did and they then have to go on the TV, get asked these questions and they say that they don't know.

Like lambs to the slaughter.

Johnson is treating us like children

Heather my family have stuck to Lockdown 100%. I am sure we're not the only ones.

Plus was most likely working on the assumption he then had immunity.

Except his entire argument is that he was infected and was worried he wouldn’t be able to care for his child (despite being well enough to go on outings to local beauty spots).

I’ve woken up this morning wondering why we’ve been locked away for 2 months.

I feel depressed.

I feel like the government is laughing at us being so obedient- following their stupid rules.

Plus was most likely working on the assumption he then had immunity

What did Matt Hancock say about Neil Ferguson - someone who also might well have had immunity?

Not sure what is difficult to understand here. He made the rules and couldn’t even keep them himself. Catherine Calderwood and Chris Whitt’s we’re fired over it. Why is he special?