Police: Dominic Cummings made 'minor' breach of lockdown rules

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's top aide Dominic Cummings leaves his north London home as the row over his trip to Durham during lockdown continues

The most important figure in the Prime Minister’s team has been engulfed in controversy since it was revealed he travelled 260 miles from London to his family’s farm in Durham because he suspected he and his wife may have had coronavirus.

The couple and their four year-old son also took a 50 mile round trip to Barnard Castle after the Downing Street aide had recovered from his illness, with Mr Cummings claiming the trip was to check his eyesight ahead of the return trip to London.

Mr Johnson has defended his adviser in the face of growing public and political anger, with more than 40 Tory MPs calling for Mr Cummings to quit or be sacked.

Durham Constabulary had been examining Mr Cummings actions, and said in a statement that “there might have been a minor breach of the Regulations that would have warranted police intervention.

“Durham Constabulary view this as minor because there was no apparent breach of social distancing.”

Police said that they do not pursue retrospective action against any individual found to have breached lockdown regulations, but that if Mr Cummings had been stopped by an officer while travelling to Barnard Castle, he would have been advised to return home. No offence would have been committed if the advice had been followed.

The statement also explains that the journey from London to Durham did not constitute a breach of legal regulations, and that it is not the role of police to enforce broader coronavirus public health messages.

A Number 10 spokesman said: “The police have made clear they are taking no action against Mr Cummings over his self-isolation and that going to Durham did not breach the regulations.

“The Prime Minister has said he believes Mr Cummings behaved reasonably and legally and he regards this issue as closed.”

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