Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said it is his “understanding” from the Prime Minister that Dominic Cummings and his family did not break the law in their trip to Durham during lockdown.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast he said: “(The Prime Minister) has been absolutely categorically assured that both Dominic Cummings and his family both followed the guidance and also followed the rules…
READ MORE: Politics LIVE: Boris Johnson facing party revolt over Dominic Cummings
“The guidance is incredibly extensive and at the heart of that guidance is always the issue of safeguarding children and making sure that children are always absolutely protected.
“My understanding is from what the Prime Minister said yesterday… is that at every stage Dominic Cummings followed and his family followed the guidance and at no stage did Dominic Cummings or his family break the law.”
Mr Williamson said Mr Cummings should not resign “because he has made it clear that he’s broken no rules and he’s broken no laws”.
The Cabinet minister sidestepped a question on whether Mr Cummings would have done the wrong thing if he had been a member of the public.
In stark contrast, Conservative MP David Warburton said his own father died alone as a result of the coronavirus lockdown, and that the Dominic Cummings story gives an impression of “double standards”.
He told BBC Breakfast: “People have made sacrifices, this is a difficult time, this is a time of national crisis.
“In those sacrifices there really hasn’t been the choice to use instinct.
“Instinct hasn’t really been part of it.
“We’ve been tasked with following regulations laid down by the Government.”
READ MORE: Tory MPs break ranks and demand sacking of Dominic Cummings
Mr Warburton said of Mr Cummings: “Ideally, if he broke the rules then he obviously should be subject to the same kind of consequences as anybody else who broke the rules.”
He added: “To me, enough is really enough, I think he’s damaging the Government and the country that he’s supposed to be serving.”
Below applies to readers in England only
“I don’t have the details of all the various dates but the two dates that I do know very clearly is the June 1 when primary schools will start opening their schools and welcoming in pupils for the first time in over two months, and June 15 when secondary schools can start opening their doors and welcoming in years 10 and 12,” he said.
Gavin Williamson said the reopening of schools was “one of the most difficult decisions that I’ve probably ever had to take”.
He said: “I know that there’s such an importance in terms of children being able to get their education.”
Schools in Scotland have not yet announced a date to reopen and Gavin Williamson was referring to schools in England only. Please follow advice from the Scottish Government on schools reopening.
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