Piers Morgan has vowed to break lockdown rules and drive to see his parents if Boris Johnson does not fire his senior adviser Dominic Cummings.
In a series of tweets on Saturday, the Good Morning Britain presenter accused Mr Cummings of “despicable hypocrisy” after it was revealed he travelled 260-miles from his London home to County Durham during the lockdown in late March.
Mr Cummings claimed he “behaved reasonably and legally” in making the journey, even as County Durham’s acting police and crime commissioner criticised his decision as “most unwise”.
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“If Boris doesn’t fire Cummings today, then I will deem the Lockdown over & drive down to see my parents (from a 2m distance) for the first time in 12 weeks,” Mr Morgan said on his Twitter account.
“I’m not having one rule for these clowns & another for the rest of us.”
The ITV presenter also called on the prime minister to attend the daily coronavirus briefing on Saturday and explain Mr Cummings’ actions.
“Don’t you dare hide again today @BorisJohnson – front the daily briefing & tell the British public why it was one rule for them & another for your chief adviser. Or be damned by your cowardice,” he said.
Mr Cummings has been accused of breaching lockdown rules by making the trip to be near his relatives while his wife was ill with suspected Covid-19.
Downing Street had previously confirmed that Mr Cummings had started displaying coronavirus symptoms “over the weekend” of 28 and 29 March, and was self-isolating.
However, No 10 insisted on Saturday that the adviser’s journey was “essential” and “in line with coronavirus guidelines”.
Steve White, County Durham’s acting police and crime commissioner, said: “Given the whole ethos of the guidance and regulations issued from the government was to reduce the spread, regardless of reason, by travelling to County Durham when known to be infected was most unwise.”
Mr White added: “To beat this crisis we need to be selfless as millions have been. The response by the people of County Durham and Darlington have been exemplary, which makes this most frustrating and concerning.”
Additional reporting by PA
