Dominic Cummings got it wrong and so did police and media – Yorkshire Post Letters

THE actions of Dominic Cummings on his journey to the North and wider afield during the lockdown warrant his resignation or dismissal by the Prime Minister.

Mr Cummings has shown contempt for the law that he advised on, and for the wider public. What has been interesting, however, has been the media response to his actions and comments from others who have also displayed a level of hypocrisy, less than temperate language and, at times, inappropriately using their position to pass judgment and comment.

The members of the press and accompanying photographers laying siege outside the home of the special adviser have regularly breached social distancing guidance and consequently put lives at risk.

The assorted bishops of the Church of England who have gone to press have used intemperate language about the actions of Mr Cummings and the Prime Minister before they knew the full facts.

The response of the police in Durham to the incidents has been placed in sharp focus and the unelected Acting Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham has ordered the Chief Constable to conduct an investigation into the series of events.

It is not for the PCC to tell a Chief Constable to conduct an investigation or how to do his job. Legislation on police and crime commissioners continues to protect the police by making it clear that chief constables retain direction and control of their officer , what they investigate and how.

The operations of the police should not be politicised. So like Mr Cummings, the press pack, bishops and PCC should learn lessons here. Can we all now calm down and continue to deal with a major pandemic?

From: Sylvia Hanson, Golcar, Huddersfield.

I SUPPOSE the kindlier-disposed members of the public can understand that Dominic Cummings dealt with his family emergency in the best way possible for those close to him.

However, his family emergency will have been replicated many thousands of times during the lockdown by other families, many of them in circumstances way more 
difficult that the one Mr Cummings and his family experienced.

If everyone in the same circumstances had followed his lead, then the R factor would have increased and many more people would have died, increasing even further the highest European death total from Covid-19.

One would assume that unelected government advisers are dispensable if the need arises; the fact that Mr Cummings appears to be indispensable does make one question the capabilities of the Prime Minister.

From: Brian H Sheridan, Lodge Moor, Sheffield.

DOMINIC Cummings’ bizarre explanation for his trip to Barnard Castle, to test his eyesight, could have created a “Barnard Castlegate”.

Here was a man alleged to be running the country for the Prime Minister reacting with all the foresight of Billy Bunter, denying eating all the pies before they had even been missed. Sheer panic.

Little wonder Alastair Campbell, in a welcome return 
to our TV screens – for me at least – fell into paroxysms of laughter.

From: AW Clarke, Martin Close, Louth.

THOUGH I have no particular love for either Dominic Cummings or his boss, I do believe that I, given his circumstances, would probably have done the same thing.

I should say that I do not 
think the visit to Barnard 
Castle was sensible, given 
his vulnerability both 
healthwise and politically. Regrettably it is easy for the onlooker to point the finger at our mistakes.

From: Steve Ayton, Haworth.

IT would seem that since we stopped using words in school like “fail”, “wrong” and “bad” we have introduced several generations of deluded individuals who believe they are perfect in every way, and a worrying side effect of this is their belief that rules are for other people to follow, but obviously don’t apply to themselves.

How could they? Everything they do is, by definition, perfect!

Whatever rules are imposed, and prime examples are social distancing and avoiding tourist areas, these people won’t obey them, so I suggest that those found breaking such rules be locked away with that other group who seem to be totally incapable of following any argument which can’t be expressed in five syllables or less.

I refer, of course, to TV news reporters.

They probably excel at baying at the moon, but are demonstrably incapable of understanding any intelligent response to their insanely oversimplified questions, so their only response is to howl the same question, but louder.

From: Mike Pawson, Leeds.

WAS it a politician (or his aide) who coined the phrase “rules are for the guidance of wise men and the observation of fools”?

From: Keith Wigglesworth, Mead Way, Highburton, Huddersfield.

ALL this silliness merely enhances my long held view that ‘‘the more I see of humans, the more I think that I should get another dog’’!

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson