PM, you're ducking it

You have a choice between protecting Dominic Cummings or putting the national interest first – LABOUR’S YVETTE COOPER YESTERDAY

- BEN GLAZE

BORIS Johnson squirmed yesterday as he was accused of “putting political concerns above the national interest” by continuing to protect Dominic Cummings.

Labour MP Yvette Cooper slammed the Prime Minister as the row over his top aide’s shameless flouting of lockdown regulations deepened.

She tackled him during a grilling by the Commons Liaison Committee as it emerged police questioning people’s movements are now being told: “If it’s

OK for Cummings, it’s OK for us.”

The PM had been warned he risked undermining public health messages by backing Mr Cummings.

And furious Ms Cooper pressed him on the advice for parents concerned about childcare if they fall ill with coronavirus.

Mr Johnson replied: “The clear advice is to stay at home unless you absolutely have to go to work. If you have exceptional problems with childcare then that may cause you to vary your arrangements.”

She shot back: “The reason you are ducking this, the reason you are not giving people a straight answer, is because you are trying to protect Dominic Cummings.

“The reason you have sent your ministers out to say fudgey things and unclear things is because you are trying not to incriminate Dominic Cummings and you don’t want to apologise for him.

“The problem is that means you are putting your political concerns ahead of clear public health messages to parents who have coronavirus.”