Defiant Boris shrugs off Cummings storm as ‘political ding dong'

CORONAVIRUS: LOCKDOWN ROW RAGES ON

- Macer Hall

BORIS Johnson has flatly rejected calls from senior MPs for an official inquiry into Dominic Cummings’s behaviour during lockdown.

The Prime Minister dismissed the outcry over his aide’s decision to travel to Durham as a “political ding dong”.

He also insisted the public wanted the Government to “move on” from the row and focus on the effort to conquer the disease.

During a 90-minute grilling by the Commons Liaison Committee he said: “Quite frankly, I’m not certain that an inquiry into that matter is a very good use of official time.

“We are working flat out on coronavirus.

“This has really been going on for several days now – in the media at least.

“I, of course, am deeply sorry for all the hurt and pain and anxiety that people have been going through throughout this period.

“But I think we need to move on and get on to how we are going to sort out the coronavirus.”

Mr Johnson also dismissed demands for Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill – the most senior civil servant – to investigate the chief Downing Street strategist.

Warned