Michael Gove backs Dominic Cummings as man of ‘honour and integrity’ as MP Douglas Ross resigns
MICHAEL Gove has backed today Dominic Cummings as man of “honour and integrity”as MP Douglas Ross resigned.
The senior minister backed Boris Johnson’s chief adviser and suggested he never once thought he’d have done something wrong.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Mr Gove backed his friend Mr Cummings but admitted “people will make up their own minds”.
He said: “The account he gave yesterday was exhaustive, it was comprehensive and verifiable.
“Most people will understand he was someone who was under pressure who sought to put the health of his wife and son first.
“I was convinced that there would be an explanation because I know he’s a man of honour and integrity.
“People will know from his own account he was acting in a way to support his family.”
It comes as:
- The UK death toll soared past 47,000- with almost 11,650 in care homes
- It was claimed BBQs and garden parties for 10 person “bubbles” will be allowed from end of June
- Cops accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan of giving them a “huge slap in the face” by refusing to exempt officers from the Congestion Charge
- Boris Johnson looked out of breath while on early-morning run with his dog Dilyn
- The Sun revealed the Queen’s closest servants are working three-week shifts in isolation away from their families
The incident has sparked the first Tory resignation, with Douglas Ross this morning quitting his junior minister role in the Scotland Office.
He said: “I have constituents who didn’t get to say goodbye to loved ones; families who could not mourn together; people who didn’t visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the Government.
“I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior adviser to the government was right.”
Mr Ross backed Boris for the Conservative leadership, and also supported his views on Brexit.
A No10 spokesman responded: “The Prime Minister would like to thank Douglas Ross for his service to government and regrets his decision to stand down as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland.”
Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw admitted Mr Ross would be a “great loss to the Scotland Office” and also called for Mr Cummings to go.
They were joined by former leadership contender Mark Harper, who said Mr Cummings should resign.
Mr Gove also defended the aide’s trip to Barnard Castle on his wife’s birthday, which the adviser insisted was to test his eyesight.
The Brexiteer said: “He wanted to make sure before taking the journey down the A1 he was safe to drive.
“The whole point of the journey was that he could drive safely.
“He drove to Barnard Castle, the family stopped, he walked a few yards, sat on a bench for a short time then walked back to the car and drove home.”
Appearing on LBC, Mr Gove also defended the Vote Leave organiser after being asked if he’d have gone “on a 60-mile round trip to test your eyesight?”.
He said: “I have, on occasions in the past, driven with my wife in order to make sure, what’s the right way of putting it.”
Host Nick Ferrari replied he was “staggered,” and the minister was not “going to be able to get out of this one.”
Mr Gove shot back the “people who know me would know that I am not an authority on driving.”
Today a senior ex-police officer warned the aide may have broken the Highway Code by driving to test his vision.
Former Greater Manchester Police chief constable Sir Peter Fahy claimed the journey was “ill-advised” and potentially put others in danger.
Yesterday Mr Cummings said he received threats of violence to his home after false claims he opposed lockdown in favour of herd immunity.
The Prime Minister’s top aide made the revelation as he defended himself over his 260-mile trip to Durham during lockdown.
The defence of his actions comes amid calls for him to resign or be sacked by Mr Johnson for travelling to County Durham in March to self-isolate with his family after his wife developed coronavirus symptoms.
Speaking in the rose garden of Downing Street, Mr Cummings said stories had suggested he had opposed lockdown and “did not care about many deaths”.
“The truth is that I had argued for lockdown,” he said.
“I did not oppose it, but these stories had created a very bad atmosphere around my home, I was subjected to threats of violence, people came to my house shouting threats, there were posts on social media encouraging attacks.”
Mr Cummings said he was worried that “this situation would get worse”.
Mr Cummings also said allegations he returned to Durham for a second visit after April 14 are “false”.
He conceded that “reasonable people may well disagree about how I thought about what to do in the circumstances”, but said: “I don’t regret what I did.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.