Sent to my mp just now.
As my MP, I am contacted you to register my disappointment at the Prime Minister's decision to retain the services of Mr Dominic Cummings.
In today's briefing, an emphasis was placed on whether Mr Cummings instincts were those of a father, encouraging the public to empathise with his child care dilemma. As a senior official in government, it is clear that there were any number of alternatives available to him, and this will be seen as sophistry.
However, whether or not Mr Cummings actions were reasonable, or conformed to the letter of lockdown, misses the point. His actions will at least be perceived by a great number of people as breaking lockdown, and as tacit authority to do likewise. This is something that should at least have been anticipated, and for this reason alone, his actions show a lack of judgement which not only undermines the efforts the public are making, but any claim he might make to being a valuable advisor.
Worse, Boris Johnson's support of his colleague shows that he puts the advice Mr Cummings gives above an inevitable erosion of corvid precautions. This makes him look weak, and by his extension the government look weak, at a time when strong leadership is vital. This seems not only ill-advised but politically inept. By all means support his friend and colleague by showing understanding (if it is in fact the case) why Mr Cummings acted impetuously, but then show character and vital objectivity in reiterating the importance of adhering to universal rules.
This could have been a game changing moment for Mr Johnson - an ideal opportunity to reinforce the lockdown when it is crumbling, a chance to show he does not need Mr Cummings as a crutch, and that the Tory party is, if nothing else, a fair-minded institution that plays by the rules.
Instead, he came across as a mendacious fool that no one believes and no one takes seriously.
I urge you as a backbencher that has shown himself capable of independent thought, to join those few brave Tories prepared to voice the opinion of the vast majority of cross party thinking on this, and by doing so, claw back some semblance of credibility for your party and our government
WIth Kind Regards