AG百家乐在线官网

More Tory MPs call for Dominic Cummings to go - as minister warns public health messages 'undermined'

Penny Mordaunt, who is Paymaster General, said there are "some inconsistencies" in Mr Cummings's account of events.

Dominic Cummings leaves his north London home as the row over the Durham trip taken by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's top aide continues.
Image: Dominic Cummings is facing calls to resign from more than 40 Tory MPs
Why you can trust Sky News

Boris Johnson has failed to quell anger from Conservative MPs - including from government ministers - over his chief adviser Dominic Cummings's actions during lockdown.

The prime minister appeared before a committee of senior MPs on Wednesday to insist it was time to "move on" from the row over alleged lockdown breaches by his senior aide.

However, despite Mr Johnson reiterating his support for Mr Cummings, the stream of Tory MPs calling for the adviser's resignation continued.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

PM suggests inquiry into Cummings 'not a good use of time'

At the same time as the prime minister was being grilled by the House of Commons liaison committee over Mr Cummings's lockdown trip to Durham, Tory backbenchers Pauline Latham and Giles Watling joined those calling for the Number 10 aide to quit his role.

Fellow backbencher George Freeman also later called for Mr Cummings to resign, with more than 40 Conservative MPs now wanting the prime minister's chief adviser to go.

It also emerged on Wednesday that Cabinet Office minister Penny Mordaunt, who is Paymaster General, told her constituents in an email that it was clear the row over Mr Cummings had "undermined key public health messages".

Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt
Image: Penny Mordaunt said the row over Dominic Cummings had 'undermined key public health messages'

"There are some inconsistencies in his account of events and the reasons behind it," Ms Mordaunt wrote, adding that she was "personally still not clear of the facts" despite Mr Cummings's news conference on Monday.

More on Boris Johnson

Meanwhile, former chancellor Sajid Javid said in a letter to his constituents that Mr Cummings's 260-mile trip from London to Durham was not "necessary or justified".

"I do not believe Mr Cummings' journey to County Durham to isolate on his family's estate was necessary or justified," Mr Javid said, as reported by his local Bromsgrove Standard newspaper.

"I remain unconvinced his visit to Barnard Castle could be considered reasonable.

:: Listen to the Daily podcast on , , ,

"I was also deeply concerned by his decision to return to Downing Street directly after coming into contact with a family member who was ill, potentially with coronavirus."

Mr Javid quit as chancellor in February this year following widespread reports of tension between his Treasury team and Mr Cummings.

Next week from Monday to Thursday, Dermot Murnaghan will be hosting After the Pandemic: Our New World - a series of special live programmes about what our world will be like once the pandemic is over.

We'll be joined by some of the biggest names from the worlds of culture, politics, economics, science and technology. And you can take part too. If you'd like to be in our virtual audience - from your own home - and put questions to the experts, email afterthepandemic@AG百家乐在线官网.uk