Boris Johnson has said he “regrets” the anger and confusion the public feel over his chief aide’s 260-mile journey during lockdown.
Earlier Dominic Cummings said he did not regret making the trip.
He said he had travelled to Durham to see help with childcare for his young son.
Download the new Independent Premium app
Sharing the full story, not just the headlines
The trip was necessary, in part, because threats he had received made him concerned about the safety of his London home, he said.
At the daily Downing Street press conference, the prime minister stood by his most senior adviser.
“Do I regret what has happened?, he said.
“Yes, of course I do regret the confusion and the anger and the pain that people feel.”
He added: “This is a country that has been going through the most tremendous difficulties and suffering in the course of the last 10 weeks and that’s why I really did want people to understand exactly what had happened.”
