Great scoop by @PippaCrerar. Defence of Cummings begins. Went to parents as he & wife ill & needed help w son. Colleagues point to quote from Dep CMO Harries (Apr 10) where she spoke of accessing family support in ‘exceptional circs’ of parent illness. No 10 fronting this out 1/2 https://twitter.com/pippacrerar/status/1263907839162097666">https://twitter.com/pippacrer...

But there is also this. March 18 (day govt took decision to close schools, PM said “I also need to remind parents that, as we have already advised, children should not be left with older grandparents, or older relatives...” (full quote in transcript) https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-on-coronavirus-18-march-2020">https://www.gov.uk/governmen...

Labour. “If accurate, PM’s chief adviser appears to have breached lockdown rules. Govt guidance very clear: stay at home & no non-essential travel. People do not expect there to be one rule for them & another for Mr Cummings. No 10 needs to provide a very swift explanation”

A neighbour saw Cummings in the garden of his parents’ property. This from @PippaCrerar’s story.

All the latest on the ‘Dominic Cummings breaks lockdown rules story’ via @RaynerSkyNews > https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-labour-demands-explanation-after-reports-dominic-cummings-broke-lockdown-rules-11993051">https://news.sky.com/story/cor...

ANALYSIS: No 10 will try to face this down. But brace for the backlash, from the opposition, from restive Tories, but most of all from the people who elected Boris Johnson prime minister https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-dominic-cummings-will-be-seen-as-part-of-an-elite-for-whom-the-rules-do-not-apply-11993101">https://news.sky.com/story/cor...