Coronavirus: Boris Johnson’s adviser Dominic Cummings to make rare statement as resignation calls grow | Politics News

Dominic Cummings is to make a rare statement and take questions later today, Downing Street has confirmed.

Boris Johnson’s chief adviser has been accused of breaching coronavirus lockdown rules by travelling 260 miles from London to Durham while Britons were being told to “stay at home”.

Nineteen Conservative MPs – as well as bishops and NHS staff – have called for his resignation, but the prime minister has maintained that Mr Cummings acted “responsibly, legally and with integrity”.

More Tory backbenchers have urged Mr Cummings to directly address unanswered questions about a witness who claimed to have spotted him visiting a castle on 12 April, 30 miles away from his parents’ farm where he self-isolated, and again in Durham a week later.

Confusion also remains after Durham Police said they contacted the Number 10 aide’s family – an account disputed by Downing Street.

Mr Cummings said he decamped from London when his wife developed COVID-19 symptoms in case he came down with the virus too so his family could look after the couple’s young child.