South Yorkshire MP calls for Special Advisor Dominic Cummings to 'step back' from role as row over lockdown breaches continues

Mr Cummings has been accused of making two separate trips between London and his parents' home in Durham during the coronavirus lockdown.

Dan Jarvis, Labour MP for Barnsley Central, said that an inquiry into the reports should be launched, and in the meantime, Mr Cummings should 'step back' from his role.

Mr Jarvis said: “There has been a great deal of anger at the reports concerning the Prime Minister’s Chief Adviser Dominic Cummings breaking Government lockdown guidance by travelling to Durham whilst potentially being ill with the Coronavirus.

“It simply cannot be the case that there is one rule for the Prime Minister’s advisers, and another for everyone else. I have seen many heart-breaking stories of people who have been unable to attend funerals, or comfort relatives as they are dying because of the need to follow lockdown rules.

"That someone who was instrumental in designing those rules has apparently broken them so flagrantly has, rightly, generated a great deal of anger and risks undermining both the Government’s message and the wider public health approach to tackling the Coronavirus.

“I firmly believe that there needs to be an inquiry into these reports, to establish the precise facts of Mr Cummings’ actions and the extent to which the Prime Minister and senior Cabinet Ministers were aware of his actions. In the meantime, Mr Cummings should step back from his role as Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister.”

John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Dearne said: “My inbox is full of emails from people very angry that the Prime Minister’s closest adviser didn’t follow the same rules they did. They and thousands of others in our area did as the Government told them: they stayed home and made huge sacrifices to protect the NHS and save lives.

“For Boris Johnson to dismiss people’s concerns shows contempt for those who have followed the Government’s rules and risks undermining Britain’s collective effort to get through this crisis. Public confidence in these rules will be even more essential in the coming weeks, as we look to come out of this lockdown safely.”