26 May 2020

Boris Johnson aide defends cross-country trip during lockdown

From Morning Report, 7:51 am on 26 May 2020

The British prime minister's chief adviser Dominic Cummings has said he does not regret driving 260 miles from London during the Coronavirus lockdown.

He revealed he had not told Boris Johnson when he decided to take his family to County Durham after his wife developed Covid-19 symptoms.

Addressing the media in the last couple of hours, he said he made the decision to drive up to Durham after his wife started showing symptoms of coronavirus, and he was worried about what to do with his son as none of their childcare options were available.

While at Durham, he came down with the virus as well.

He was spotted at the market town of Barnard Castle later - about a half-hour's drive from his Durham residence - later on in the week.

Alastair Campbell, former director of communications to Tony Blair and now the editor at large for The New European, speaks to Susie Ferguson.