Coronavirus: PM should reach 'different conclusion' on Dominic Cummings

Nicola Sturgeon said Dominic Cummings should admit he made a mistake

The prime minister should reflect on his decision to back his chief adviser and "come to a different conclusion", the first minister has said.

Dominic Cummings is accused of breaking lockdown laws by travelling from London to Durham with his family while they were self-isolating.

Boris Johnson gave his full backing to Mr Cummings on Sunday.

Urging him to reconsider, Nicola Sturgeon said political interest risked taking priority over public interest.

"In a situation like this it is so important that trust in the public health advice is maintained," Ms Sturgeon said at her daily Covid-19 briefing.

EPA

Mr Cummings is due to make a public statement over allegations he broke coronavirus lockdown rules

However, in a public statement on Monday afternoon Dominic Cummings gave a detailed account and chronology of his 260-mile trip to his parents' farm near Durham.

He said he made the trip because he had genuine concerns about the care and wellbeing of his young son after his wife became unwell with possible Covid-19 symptoms.

Mr Cummings insisted he behaved "legally and reasonably" and did everything he could to minimise the risk to others.

The prime minister's chief adviser is facing calls from Labour and some Tory MPs to quit or be fired.

In a reference to Mr Cummings' journey, the first minister said she knew people would be feeling "angry and frustrated" at the stories they had heard over the weekend and were perhaps questioning the validity of the lockdown.

"I understand that but I want to stress that as far as I'm concerned the restrictions and rules that we put in place really matter," she said.

"It's vital that all of us stick to these rules - and not just because people like me tell you or ask you to.

"The reason we ask you to stick to these rules is because they help to protect you and your loved ones."

'Tough sacrifices'

Ms Sturgeon said people had "overwhelmingly" done the right thing across the country by observing the lockdown, sometimes at great sacrifice.

"The sacrifices have been tough and many people will live with the pain of them for a long time to come," she said.

But the first minister said the number of deaths from Covid-19 was finally starting to fall because of the lockdown.

She announced a further three deaths at her briefing, bringing the total number of deaths of those who have tested positive to 2,273.

There are now 15,156 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Scotland, with 1,269 being treated in hospital.

She said it was the government's "current expectation" that it will announce a relaxation of some restrictions on Thursday, which would start to take effect the following day.

Reuters

Nicola Sturgeon said she had not defended the actions of her former chief medical officer, Catherine Calderwood

Ms Sturgeon also faced questions comparing her handling of Catherine Calderwood's resignation with the prime minister's defence of his aide.

Dr Calderwood, Scotland's former chief medical officer, resigned after it was revealed she travelled to her second home during the lockdown.

The first minister said she had never defended Dr Calderwood's actions, but had made an argument she should retain her post so she could continue to make a contribution to containing the outbreak.

"When I realised that the public didn't agree with that and if we had continued we would have risked undermining the public health advice, I came to a different conclusion later that night."

Ms Sturgeon said Dr Calderwood did not try to "save her own skin" in the conversation they had that led to the chief medical officer's resignation.

"In terms of the prime minister and Dominic Cummings, my view is that they should come to the same conclusion," she added.