In recent days, one issue has dominated my emails – Dominic Cummings!
I have had only one or two saying he did “the right thing” whereas I have had hundreds saying the reverse.
Constituents who have missed seeing grandchildren. Parents (who are keyworkers) – who both got Covid-19 and had to struggle on, EVEN when they worked in the NHS, but stuck to the advice and did not go and see other relatives for help.
Who have missed saying goodbye to a relative in a care-home or hospital who has then died. Who have been suffering through loneliness not seeing family or friends.
Many of these people, seeing the government’s defence of Dominic Cummings – feel they (to use their words), “have been taken for mugs!”
People are rightly angry, they have lost loved ones and followed the guidance. They then see ministers defending Cummings, and saying he “was a good parent and cared about his family”. What does that say to those who followed the guidance and also cared for their family?
I have not known anger like this. And I do not believe it is going to go away.
The other side effects from this are that people are starting to break guidance and have said “well, Dominic Cummings did it”. Police across the country have heard this.
Also the government seem to be accelerating good news stories – you can meet six people in your garden, racing was back on Monday.
I can only assume that this is to take attention away from Cummings as many scientists who advise the government Sage committee are now saying they think the government are going too fast and also these moves should only take place once a proper functioning Track and Trace procedure is in place.
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