“Boris Johnson has brushed aside a growing revolt of almost 100 of his own MPs and defied ongoing calls for Dominic Cummings to be sacked, despite a police investigation that failed to exonerate him for a potential breach of lockdown. The prime minister was again besieged by questions about his chief adviser as the crisis overshadowed his decision to cautiously ease the lockdown in England, which will require millions of citizens to abide by the letter and spirit of new guidelines.”

“The prime minister also blocked journalists from asking his top scientific advisers, Prof Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance, about their expert opinion on the matter.”

“Johnson said the matter was closed after Durham police concluded Cummings may have broken lockdown rules but decided they would take no action against him.”

Rowena Mason and Vikram Dodd

“More than once in our history we’ve seen patriotism slide into jingoism, xenophobia, the stifling of dissent”  - Barack Obama

I have followed the rules. I haven’t seen my children or grandchildren for nearly six months, and it’s killing me. Further, the distance between us is 190 miles so the prospect of seeing them soon is distant, to say the least.

Dominic Cummings broke the rules that we are required to adhere to and it is beyond me that a senior government figure did not, has escaped any form of sanction, and is still in post. Johnson and his ministers wish for this matter to ‘go away’ but myself and millions of UK residents will not forgive or forget. Can it really be that an advisor who happens to be good at creating slogans and catch phrases is an indespensible government employee? There are still many questions:

If there was a threat of the virus why did Cummings not receive a test as his associates had (including ministers and prime minister)?

Cummings’ wife’s health improved within hours which would indicate that she did not have the virus. She was well enough to travel in a car for 260 miles.

If there was genuine fear of the virus for their child, why did they travel 260 miles in the most confined of spaces, virtually guaranteeing infection?

What was the real reason for this illegal 260 mile journey to Durham?

Why the police hesitation in concluding that Cummings broke the law? Why no penalty?

What hold does Cummings really have over Johnson?

Could it be that the Cummings family (if genuinely unwell) only had mild forms of the flu - nothing more, nothing less?

Why no independent parliamentary secretary investigation into these events?

The distance between the electorate and the elected grows ever wider, and the lack of government integrity in these and other matters (including the disastrous response to the virus which has cost thousands of lives, and resulted in the UK becoming the worst country in Europe for virus deaths) has reached rock-bottom. Just over the horizon is the Brexit negotiation and the threat by Johnson of walking away from the critically important trade and institutional deal.

What the hell have we got ourselves into?