Douglas Ross resigns as Government minister over Dominic Cummings lockdown 'breach'

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A junior government minister resigned today, saying that the “vast majority” of people do not share Dominic Cummings’ interpretation of lockdown.

Douglas Ross, a minister in the Scotland Office, resigned from the Government this morning over Mr Cummings’ alleged breach of coronavirus lockdown rules.

His resignation brings a further headache for Prime Minister Boris Johnson who is under mounting pressure from his own MPs to sack his closest adviser.

Mr Ross, the MP for Moray, was considered a rising star within the Conservative Party and was a government whip until February,

This morning, senior cabinet minister Michael Gove was on the airwaves defending his longstanding ally Mr Cummings and stating that he did not break the law or the rules.

Boris Johnson pictured with Douglas Ross in November last year
PA

Mr Ross said that "while the intentions may have been well-meaning", Mr Cummings' interpretation of the rules was "not shared by the vast majority of people".

The junior minister said he made the decision after hearing Mr Cummings’ explanation for the 260-mile trip to Durham with his family.

In a statement announcing his decision, Mr Ross said: “I have constituents who didn’t get to say goodbye to loved ones; families who could not mourn together; people who didn’t visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the Government.

“I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior adviser to the government was right.”

It is the first resignation over the allegations engulfing the government as ministers try to divert attention away from the saga.

Number 10 said Mr Johnson regretted Mr Ross' decision to stand down.

Mr Ross, who was the parliamentary under-secretary of state for Scotland, added: "I haven't commented publicly on the situation with Dominic Cummings as I have waited to hear the full details.

"I welcome the statement to clarify matters, but there remains aspects of the explanation which I have trouble with. As a result I have resigned as a government minister."

Mr Ross, who is a qualified football referee and has previously run the line in Champions League games, also said he had never met met Cummings.

He added: "So my judgement on this matter has always been open and I accept his statement on Monday afternoon clarified the actions he took in what he felt were the best interests of his family.

"However, these were decisions many others felt were not available to them."

Dominic Cummings said he believed he acted "reasonably and legally" by driving to Durham
AFP via Getty Images

Tory MPs who have called for Mr Cummings to go include Peter Aldous, Steve Baker, Peter Bone, Damian Collins, Roger Gale, Robert Goodwill, Simon Hoare, Caroline Nokes and Craig Whittaker.

Simon Jupp became the latest Tory MP to suggest that Mr Cummings should consider his position, saying he has felt "anger, disappointment and frustration" during the "deeply unhelpful distraction".

Meanwhile, senior Tory William Wragg said it was "humiliating and degrading" to see ministers put out agreed lines in defence of Mr Cummings.

Veteran Tory Sir Roger Gale said the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee should make it clear to Mr Johnson that Mr Cummings should go. He said: "The time I think has come for Mr Cummings to resign or for the PM to dispense of his services."

Senior Conservative MSP Adam Tomkins said today’s resignation showed why Mr Cummings should be sacked. Mr Tomkins, a member of the Tories' frontbench team at Holyrood, said other resignations may follow in the wake of Mr Ross's departure.

A spokesman for Number 10 said: "The Prime Minister would like to thank Douglas Ross for his service to government and regrets his decision to stand down as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland."

Opposition MPs have praised Mr Ross for stepping down. Labour’s only MP in Scotland Ian Murray said: “Integrity has been sadly lacking from the government, especially over the last 72 hours. Douglas has that in spades. A fair and reasonable minister lost from a government out of control.”

Acting Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey wrote: This must have been a difficult decision for Douglas. But he’s surely right. I hope other Conservative MPs consult their consciences, recognise what’s right to restore public confidence and trust and join other Conservatives in calling for Cummings to go.”

The SNP’s Stewart McDonald wrote: "Douglas Ross becomes the first Scottish Tory to speak out and resigns from government. Fair play."

During an extraordinary press conference yesterday, Mr Cummings said he believed he had acted "reasonably" and legally when he drove from London to Durham in March.​

He said he made the journey because of fears over a lack of childcare if he became incapacitated with the virus, and concerns about his family’s safety.

Mr Cummings declined to apologise for his actions but conceded “reasonable people may well disagree about how I thought about what to do in the circumstances”.

He also said he drove his family to the town of Barnard Castle - which was around 25 miles away from where he was self-isolating - to test his eyesight to see if he could make the trip back down to London, 15 days after he had displayed symptoms. He said he had some eyesight problems during his illness

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