Former MP slams Cummings for 'horror movie' lockdown breach after her father dies from coronavirus
A former Labour MP has slammed Dominic Cummings for his alleged breaches of the coronavirus lockdown after her father died five days after the prime minister’s aide visited her town.
Helen Goodman, the former MP for Bishop Auckland between 2005 and 2019, tweeted on Sunday criticising Cummings - describing the incident as like a “horror movie”.
She revealed her father had died in a Durham care home and said she had not been allowed to see him in his final days because of social-distancing measures.
“#dominicCummings walks outside my house while I keep the rules and don't go and see my dad in a care home in the town and he dies 5 days later,” Goodman said, “It's a horror movie.”
#dominicCummings walks outside my house while I keep the rules and don't go and see my dad in a care home in the town and he dies 5 days later. It's a horror movie. https://t.co/0AB9LyGuiR
— Helen Goodman (@HelenGoodmanBA) May 23, 2020
Goodman also replied to a tweet from cabinet minister Michael Gove in which he defended Cummings, saying: “Caring for your wife and child is not a crime.”
“Michael, I cared for my dad,” she replied, “but I wasn’t allowed to see him before he died in a Durham care home.”
Cummings has drawn criticism from MPs across the political spectrum for allegedly travelling from London to visit his relatives in Durham.
Several Tory MPs called for the special adviser to be sacked on Sunday after prime minister Boris Johnson threw his weight behind Cummings.
According to the Sunday Times, the Conservative Party leader told allies he would not throw Cummings "to the dogs" following reports he made the journey to ensure his four-year-old child could be looked after as he and his wife were ill.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said Cummings had no plans to resign in a television appearance on Sunday.
Put to him that allowing Cummings to remain in place would undermine the government's lockdown policy, Shapps added: "No, I don't agree with that.
"The guidance also states you should do the things which are practical to provide assistance, particularity where children are involved, and this was the practical solution for them.
"So no, I don't think it means - to answer your questions directly - that that's it now, let's not bother following the guidance.
"It is very important we do defeat this virus and I think people have been extraordinary in their sacrifices to do so.
"I know everyone is feeling the strain of doing it and we do need to carry on making sure we keep the R rate below one and keep reducing the numbers, that's enormously important."
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