Tory MPs must back calls for Dominic Cummings to go, and put fight against Coronavirus first

The Liberal Democrat Acting Leader has written an open letter to Conservative MPs urging them to "end the distractions" and support calls for scandal-hit Dominic Cummings to go, so the country can focus on the coronavirus emergency.

In his letter, the Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey urges all Conservative MPs to "put the interests of your constituents and country first, tell the Prime Minister that Dominic Cummings must go and end the distractions away from the fight against coronavirus.

The call comes as Opposition Parties demand an inquiry and as several Conservative MPs have broken cover to call for Dominic Cummings to quit, amid claims he broke coronavirus lockdown rules twice.

Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

"Millions of people have made incredible sacrifices to stop the coronavirus. Even if the Prime Minister keeps his blinkers on, Conservative MPs cannot be oblivious to how angry people are with Dominic Cummings.

"Each minute the Prime Minister fails to act is another minute the Government is distracted from upscaling Britain's testing capacity, securing PPE for frontline workers and preventing the tragic deaths in our care homes.

"All Conservative MPs must stop defending the indefensible and put the health, well-being and economy of our country before efforts to save the Prime Minister's adviser."

Davey demands investigation into Cummings breaking lockdown

The Liberal Democrats have written to the Prime Minister and to the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill, calling for an investigation into reports Dominic Cummings broke the government's lockdown guidelines.

In his letter, the Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey warns "the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers makes it clear that special advisers must "comply with the law" and urged the Prime Minister to instigate an investigation using the available police evidence.

The Liberal Democrat MP further calls on the Prime Minister to "personally ensure that if he [Dominc Cummings] has broken the lockdown guidelines you will terminate his contract as your Senior Adviser."

Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

"Millions of people have made incredible sacrifices to stop the coronavirus. The Prime Minister must understand how angry people are about reports his Senior Adviser appears to have wilfully disregarded the lockdown rules.

"The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers makes it clear they must be honest, truthful and open. The buck stops with the Prime Minister. He should open an investigation and if it finds Dominic Cummings has broken the guidelines then he will have to sack him.

"The Prime Minister must not allow this to become a distraction to the serious questions about low testing capacity, the severe lack of PPE for frontline workers and why so many people are dying in care homes.

"The Government is asking a lot of the public during this crisis, and the British people deserve clear, honest answers in return."

Please see Ed Davey's open letter in full below.

Dear Conservative MPs,

Like me, I am sure you are inundated with stories of constituents who have made incredible sacrifices over the past three months to do their bit to stop the spread of coronavirus.

I hope you will therefore empathise with how angry people are about reports that the Prime Minister's Senior Adviser, Dominic Cummings, has broken the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers by wilfully disregarding the lockdown rules.

Given the national crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic, I fear each minute the Prime Minister allows this scandal to drag on is another minute the Government in unable to answer the serious questions our constituents are asking about low testing capacity, the severe lack of PPE for frontline workers and why so many people are dying in care homes.

I am therefore urging you to put the interests of your constituents first, end the distractions and join the growing number of Conservative MPs in calling for Dominic Cummings to go.

It cannot be one rule for senior government officials and one rule for everyone else. The judgement of the Prime Minister is already being questioned: he must act now.

Yours sincerely,

Ed Davey
Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats