1/ Cummings and the cabinet very clearly believe that the rules that they make for others don't apply to them.

Nonetheless, the hysteria and derangement of the Lockdown Left in response to Cummings' breach of the rules is telling.

It's not really a Brexit proxy war.

2/ Howling against Cummings allows the Lockdown Left to back away from their own increasingly beleaguered and exposed position as the legitimacy of the lockdown crumbles.

Directing public ire against Cummings accelerates the disintegration of the lockdown ...

3/ ... while deflecting flak from themselves. They hope that their eager willingness to sacrifice civil liberty will be forgotten in the furore over Cummings.

This is the way that they will escape accountability for the lockdown.

4/ The whole sorry affair shows that British public debate is one gigantic empty ringing bell.