UK junior minister resigns over PM’s adviser lockdown breaches

Boris Johnson in November with Douglas Ross, who has resigned over Dominic Cummings' alleged breach of lockdown rules. Photo: PA
A junior minister in the British government has resigned his post over the alleged lockdown breaches of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s adviser Dominic Cummings.
Douglas Ross resigned on Tuesday, saying Mr Cummings’ explanation of why he travelled during the coronavirus lockdown was based on decisions “others felt were not available to them”.
In a letter posted on his Twitter account the junior minister in the Scotland Office said: “As a father myself, my instinct is to always do what is best for my son and wife. We have been fortunate not to have caught this awful virus but if we did, we are prepared to follow the government advice and stay at home to contain this virus.”
I haven't commented publicly on the situation with Dominic Cummings as I have waited to hear the full details. I welcome the statement to clarify matters, but there remains aspects of the explanation which I have trouble with. As a result I have resigned as a government Minister. pic.twitter.com/6yXLyMzItJ
— Douglas Ross MP MSP (@Douglas4Moray) May 26, 2020
“I have constituents who didn’t get to say goodbye to loved ones, families who could not mourn together, people who didn’t visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the government,” Ross said.
“I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior adviser to the government was right.”
Mr Cummings drove 400 kilometres from London to Durham and also took a trip to a popular sightseeing spot with his wife and child when lockdown advice was for people to stay at home.
-AAP