Here's why the Cummings issue matters - and it isn't to do with what happens to Cummings but rather what happens to us. It has to do with the psychology of leadership, of trust and of adherence to anti-COVID measures which are critical to containing the virus and saving lives. https://twitter.com/NesrineMalik/status/1264134319192395776

Effective leadership depends on leaders being seeen as being of the group and for the group they sek to lead. Consquently, anything which distances leaders from followers - especially the notion of 'one rule for them and one rule for us' - fatally undermines leadership.

Once leaders start being seen as 'them', we lose trust and are far less likely to adhere to the laws, regulations and guidance they issue - especially if adhrence is painful and arduous. What is the point of suffering if we don't trust those who tell us it is necesary.

The effectiveness of any anti-COVID measure is critically dependent on adhereence - whether that be lockdown, distancing, contact tracing, quarantining or whatever. To underemine the bases of adherence is to leave us divided and defenceless against the disease.

So, unless Cummings are sacked, the government destroys its capacity to lead at a time when we desparately need strong clear leadership. In the long term they may pay the cost. In the short term, however, the response to coronavirus will drift further and we will be the losers..

So Cummings matters, and whether he stays or goes will be highly indicativ of whether this Government has any ambition to lead us out of this mess they have got us into.