'He has to go': Wellingborough Tory MP backs calls for Dominic Cummings to resign over 'breaking lockdown rules'

Conservative Wellingborough MP Peter Bone has joined the calls for the Prime Minister’s chief aide, Dominic Cummings, to resign over claims he repeatedly broke the coronavirus lockdown rules.

The MP is among the few Tory politicians to criticise the advisor for reportedly driving from London to his parents’ home in Durham while his wife had Covid-19 symptoms for childcare and going for trips out with his family in the North East.

Mr Bone told Nigel Farage during his show on LBC that Mr Cummings broke the rules and should go as he has not apologised.

"When an adviser becomes the story, the adviser has to go," he said.

"Boris Johnson can carry on without Dominic Cummings if he goes but it will be hard if he stays.”

The Guardian and Daily Mirror newspapers reported on Friday (May 22) that Mr Cummings had travelled 260 miles to a house on his parents’ estate in Durham and was warned by police on March 31, when the country was under strict lockdown rules to stay at home.

The aide, described as masterminding Brexit and Mr Johnson’s election victory, denies doing anything wrong, as does the Government and numerous ministers who have backed him.

But opposition parties have called for an inquiry into the issue and the newspapers reported yesterday (Saturday) that Mr Cummings and his family were seen in Barnard Castle, County Durham, in April.

No other Northamptonshire MPs have commented on the accusations so far.