Surely they’ll have to allow us to go to one other household now

[SpongeCake23]

Now that Dominic Cummings has done what he’s done and the government have supported him, saying he’s done nothing wrong.
Surely they’re going to have to allow us to mix with one household soon, otherwise it’s a huge hypocrisy.

Did anyone see the interview with MP Charles Walker on Ch.4 News? It was totally bizarre. It was all about how he didn't like witch hunts, everyone piling in etc. He entirely ignored the context i.e that there's a terrible virus and that a top government adviser had disregarded the rules designed to fight against it. Only at the end did he say he opposed the lockdown anyway.

wanting to protect your 4yo is a perfectly normal reaction.

Which is exactly why you don't put him in a car and drive 270 miles. The problem with the story they're trying to spin is that they haven't bothered to explain why they couldn't have stayed put and relied on friends to help out. Even if they have no friends (or the sister living nearby in London) there are such things as nanny and nursing agencies.

@AnxiousAnnie13

The thing is, for some people it won't be "he broke the rules and so I will break them too" it will be "the deputy chief medical officer and half the cabinet say he didnt break the rules, therefore I must have misunderstood the rules and shall now base my behaviour on this new information."

Yes, I agree, although I hope the majority of people will see through the smoke and mirrors.

Now emerging that he's made at least two further trips to Durham. He must be unbelievably arrogant to think he would get away with it - and Johnson's increasingly desperate support of him surely means that he knows where some very incriminating bodies are buried.

DC and his wife were well enough to drive that far, but were worried about becoming more ill because they did have symptoms. So, if this is fine can any parent with symptoms now drive across the country to stay with family? According to the deputy chief medical officer, they can.

Yes. Official guidance is that we now only have to follow rules 'to the best of our ability'. Whatever the ins and outs of Cummings' trip to Durham the government has apparently dropped all their preventative polices to protect him.

Oh give it a rest.

For fucks sake

And he allegedly made at least one other trip up there after returning to London.
I’m sure there were people in or near London that could have dropped food etc off if necessary. He could have used the COVID support groups locally for help. If they both really did need family to help, and there was absolutely no alternative, then surely it would have been safer for one of them (no symptoms) to drive to London, rather than infected people drive up North?

They really do need to let us see our partner/family soon. I feel like we are some of only a few households still observing the rules. The neighbours have people inside their houses, and gardens. Then they clap the carers on Thursdays. Many groups of 15 teens hanging out having bbqs and drinking beer in the park. The police just stop and drive on. The whole lockdown is becoming very frustrating.

It's very clear. He said he didn't agree with lockdown. So he thought fuck it I'm doing what I want. And did.

That's ok. His life. His conscience as a citizen depending on the help of the country he lives in.

But it's not acceptable behaviour for a top shelf public servant. In fact, it's a piss take.

Johnson has himself ridden roughshod over any idea that one's personal morals and behaviour could colour one's suitability to govern.

But this is different. This isn't personal moral ambiguity. This is public flouting of possibly the strongest laws we've ever seen in terms of restriction of personal freedom. Public flouting. We must do it, but he can do what he likes.

Cummings has done everything wrong and as a public figure should be publicly removed from office. The only honourable action.

And the details of where and when and how many times and in what 'cowshed' he was staying - all irrelevant.

He was told to stay put. Like all of us. And he didn't. End of.

Oh give it a rest.

Actually, I think the OP's question goes to the heart of the problem the government have created for themselves, and that this is very much not the time to 'give it a rest'.

If he had been hospitalised from Durham, he have introduced the virus into a previously clean hospital. So selfish.

Yes, it’s super frustrating when people are breaking the rules (but arguably keeping slightly within the spirit by social distancing / not going in each others’ houses) and I don’t have the option even to bend them slightly or see my family in a park, as my family are further away than Dominic Cummings’ family. I am tempted to see if I could get away with it...

I do wonder whether this is all deliberate though. In other words, the government is hoping we will all now rebel in a bit of reverse psychology. Particularly now July doesn’t seem to be as free and easy as they were originally suggesting. Now it’s just outdoor pubs and restaurants, no mention of hairdressers, family visits etc.

I'm just surprised than anyone is surprised. Politicians live to their own immoral code anyway. Always have done. Rules never apply to them.

I agree with everything @AnxiousAnnie13 said. It's the dangerous public defending of the fact someone in power did something against the rules which is wrong.

At best he drove a long way to a 'second home' while having symptoms.

It's wrong and instead of defending it to protect their mate they should have admitted that he did a stupid and wrong thing.

We were looking at CNN and all the places being opened up and the beaches, some with very few people, others packed and thinking are we bring over the top (we live in the country and just go out for shopping). The thing is in the end it comes down to choices. As much as us being made stay in I stay in because I believe it's safer and because I dont have to. I think everyone has different needs and obviously I'm not working and dh is lucky he can work from home. I think it's not about whether you can, it's about what you need to do. If they randomly said we'll just open the whole place up tomorrow then I'd make choices in where to go, what to do and sadly I think I'd still probably mostly stay put

So... people who are well can't go to 2nd homes, but people who are ill or think they might soon be ill, they CAN go to 2nd homes! Well, that's very fair, isn't it? Geewhiz, the govt could have clarified all that back at end of March. All you need to do is think that you won't be well, soon.
Govt didn't have to wait to clarify this until end of May when it suited them politically.

Screenshots from 11 May (BBC Cornwall), 15 May (Norfolk) & 22 May (UK govt website).

ps: I am dying to hear from someone who was spoken to by police for travelling to their 2nd home, or even fined, or just turned back. They should demand some kind of compensation.

It’s indefensible.

And corrupt.

What I’m saying is if I was in that situation I wouldn’t do it because I don’t want to endanger other people - he is not right but 2 wrongs can never make a right

Downing street and other ministers have said he didn't break the rules nor endanger anyone, he didn't do anything "wrong"
So, its fine if we all do what he did, as its within the law and is very low/zero risk.

No, I won't lower myself to Cummings despicable "standards".

We'll keep away from family until it appears to be safe.

What everyone seems to be missing is that a senior adviser, with access to ALL of the information, thought that the risk was minimal.
What is he being told that the rest of the country isn't about how little threat this virus actually poses?

I'm furious with him and those in government supporting him, but we all know that unnecessary mixing with other people will cost lives. We can't say "well he did it so I'm gonna".

Most people want this to end so they can be with people they care about. Surely the last people you want to risk?

Why does anyone have to wait to be told they're "allowed" to see family? Just use your common sense. If you have been at home since March (or even for a fortnight) and you and the rest of your household have had minimal contact with the outside world, and if you're proposing to visit family in the same situation, do you really think you're risking yourself or anyone else? You really don't need the government to work that one out for you. Likewise if you fancy having a dinner party for ten friends, you should be able to work out for yourself that it would be nice, but too risky.

I really feel sickened by what DC has done and the government's support of him and his family flouting the rules.

Millions of us are having to make massive sacrifices to support the NHS and prevent death in our communities.

But DC and his family are seemingly special and above it all. I am so disgusted by the government's support of DC. But then looking at Boris, Brexit etc. we really shouldn't be surprised.