Penny Mordaunt says Dominic Cummings 'took risks' and saga 'undermined key public health messages'

Responding to a Portsmouth North constituent’s concerns Ms Mordaunt said she believes there are ‘some inconsistencies’ surrounding prime minister Boris Johnson’s top aide’s account of his trip to Durham.

The MP said she was ‘very sorry’ for how the situation could affect the public's attitude towards lockdown – but admitted she was not ‘clear of the facts’ even after Mr Cummings' hour-long press conference on Monday.

It comes after Mr Cummings was criticised for travelling 260 in March with his family while displaying symptoms of Covid-19.

Ms Mordaunt told The News: ‘My main concern is the damage this whole episode has done to people’s motivation for following the chief medical officer’s advice.’

Writing to a Cosham resident, in an e-mail seen by The News, paymaster general Ms Mordaunt said: ‘There will always be situations that are not precisely covered by the rules, so people have to balance the risks.’

'Indeed, during the past few weeks my office has spoken to hundreds of people seeking clarification and advice in a number of scenarios.

‘Despite Mr Cummings' statement (on Monday) I am personally still not clear of the facts. There are some inconsistencies in his account of events and the reasons behind it.

‘I am not clear about when he would have been symptomatic and on what dates he should have been in isolation. Or whether it was appropriate he drove home at the time he did.

‘There is no doubt he took risks - refuelling at a petrol station is a risk to oneself and to others, which presumably he did.’

‘I understand there may have been other issues which would have made other options to care for his child in London impossible.'

She added: ‘What is clear is that the scenes of the last few days will have undermined key public health messages. I deeply regret this and am very sorry for it.’

Prime minister Mr Johnson and other ministers have shown their support for Mr Cummings, as well as attorney general and Fareham MP Suella Braverman.

The 74-year-old Cosham resident who had written to Ms Mordaunt seeking answers said he was 'encouraged' by her reply.

The man, who does not wish to be named, said: ‘I found her reply to be quite encouraging. She was giving it some thought and not just sticking to the same hard and fast rule as the rest of her party.

‘I wrote to her because I thought there was a danger people might not take lockdown seriously now.’

Conservative councillors in Portsmouth, including group leader Donna Jones, were asked for their views on the situation but declined to comment.

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