TUSC supports Rugby MP Mark Pawsey's call for Tory's chief adviser Dominic Cummings to go: m

Rugby Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition has been very critical of many of the aspects of the Governments handling of the COVID19 crisis. We have written to our local Tory MP Mark Pawsey twice outlining our concerns and we await his response with genuine interest.

We would now like to give credit where it is due. Mark Pawsey has today written to all his constituents calling on the government’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings to resign, or to be removed from office, for the breaking of lockdown rules during the pandemic. This is absolutely the right call to make. Dominic Cummings helped draft the lockdown guidelines, and these must apply equally to everyone if we are to collectively beat this virus.

Dominic Cummings broke the lockdown guidance in a number of ways:

1) On finding out his wife was ill, possibly with COVID19, he went to see her and then, instead of immediately self isolating for 14 days as per rule, he returned to work (at No 10). The guidelines are quite clear about quarantine: 7 days if you have COVID symptoms, 14 days if have been in contact with someone who has the virus.

2) He then drove to Durham, 260 miles, rather than stay at home which was the advice at the time

3) While in Durham he drove 30 miles to to Barnard Castle. This was not for exercise as allowed under the guidelines. He says they went to test his eyes while driving, but it was also his wife’s birthday!

4) On that same day, April 12, they walked along the river Tees, when both should have been still been self isolating

Dominic Cummings did not need anyone else to look after his child, and no one else ended up looking after the child anyway. He has a brother in law who lives nearby in London in any emergency.

We therefore, on this occasion, fully agree with Mark Pawsey - Dominic Cummings has to go

Pete McLaren

Secretary, Rugby Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC)