Tory revolt grows to 18 MPs, amid concerns Dominic Cummings' actions could lead to more deaths

A growing number of Conservative MPs are calling for Dominic Cummings to step down, amid concerns his actions may cost lives. 

Over a dozen backbenchers have defied the party whip to call for Boris Johnson’s most senior aide’s departure from Number 10.

On Sunday night the Prime Minister launched a defence of his adviser, but MPs and Cabinet colleagues have expressed fears that the move risked “seriously undermining” the Government’s lockdown strategy.

Former Brexit minister Steve Baker was the first to break ranks on Sunday when he warned that the aide was “burning through Boris’s political capital at a rate that we just can ill afford in the midst of this crisis”.

Here are all the MPs who have criticised Mr Cummings and called for him to go. 

Steve Baker

The senior member of the 1922 Committee of backbenchers toured TV studios on Sunday, insisting that Mr Cummings “must go”.

He said: “If he doesn’t resign, we’ll just keep burning through Boris’s political capital at a rate we can ill afford in the midst of this crisis.

“It is very clear that Dominic travelled when everybody else understood Dominic’s slogans to mean ‘stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives’.

“He is not always right, he is certainly not indispensable to Boris. No one is. I just think this is the end of the road.

“He has at the very least not abided by the slogans that he has enforced on the rest of the country and that is why he should go.”

 

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Peter Bone

The Conservative MP for Wellingborough and Rushden said that Mr Cummings “has to go” because he broke the rules and has not apologised.

Speaking on LBC on Sunday, he said: “When an adviser becomes the story, the adviser has to go.

“Boris Johnson can carry on without Dominic Cummings if he goes but it will be hard if he stays.”

 

Damian Collins

The Conservative MP for Folkestone and Hythe said in a tweet: “Dominic Cummings has a track record of believing that the rules don’t apply to him and treating the scrutiny that should come to anyone in a position of authority with contempt.

“The government would be better without him.”

 

Sir Roger Gale

Sir Roger, the Conservative MP for North Thanet, joined the chorus of backbenchers calling for Mr Cummings to resign.

He tweeted: “While as a father and as a grandfather I fully appreciate Mr Cummings’ desire to protect his child. There cannot be one law for the Prime Minister’s staff and another for everyone else.

“He has sent out completely the wrong message and his position is no longer tenable.”

 

Robert Goodwill

In a letter to a constituent, Mr Goodwill said that he believed the aide’s position was “untenable” and said he “should be relieved of his post”.

However, he has not yet spoken out publicly against Mr Cummings.

 

James Gray

While Mr Gray has not yet publicly called for Mr Cummings to go, he made his thoughts clear in a letter to one constituent.

“Having him continuing at the heart of Government undermines our credibility and the strength of our message,” he said.

 

Simon Hoare

Conservative MP Mr Hoare tweeted: “With the damage Mr Cummings is doing to the Government’s reputation he must consider his position.

“Lockdown has had its challenges for everyone. It’s his cavalier ‘I don’t care; I’m cleverer than you’ tone that infuriates people.

“He is now wounding the PM/Govt & I don’t like that.”

 

Peter Aldous

The MP for Waveney said on Monday morning that he had changed his mind on the issue and it was now time for Mr Cummings to stand down.

He said: “At a time when the Country must move on to the next stage of defeating Covid-19, of getting back to work whilst ensuring that there is not a second peak, there must be no distraction from this challenge.

“The Government should recognise what families have gone through and what people are thinking and saying. It is thus important that Dominic Cummings should now stand down.”

 

Andrew Jones

The Harrogate and Knaresborough MP has written his constituents saying: “It seems clear to me that Mr Cummings has broken the guidelines which we were and are all expected to follow.

“For that reason I think that he should resign and if he does not do so then he should be dismissed.”

 

Tim Loughton

In a Facebook post on Sunday night, the MP for East Worthing and Shoreham wrote that he had “come to the conclusion that the position of Dominic Cummings is untenable as the chief adviser to the Government and he must resign or be removed”. 

He said: “That is a great pity for someone who has contributed so much to Government in various forms and whose intellect and strategic thinking are truly impressive. 

“But his continuing in the role any longer can only undermine the authority of the Prime Minister and the Government at a time when both need to be completely focussed on getting the nation through the next stage of the Coronavirus crisis.”

 

Paul Maynard

Former minister Paul Maynard was withering in his response to the Prime Minister’s defence of Dominic Cummings.

The Blackpool North and Cleveleys MP said: “I can only share the collective dismay and I understand the widespread anger.

“So many people in this constituency have gone out of their way to stick to both the letter and the spirit of the guidelines and laws, despite it coming at great personal emotional cost.

“It is a classic case of ‘do as I say, not as I do’ – and it is not as if he was unfamiliar with guidance he himself helped draw up. “It seems to me to be utterly indefensible and his position wholly untenable.”

 

Jason McCartney

In a Facebook post, the MP for Colne Valley, said: “We must have confidence that we are doing the right things for the right reasons and that we are all truly in it together. 

“For that reason I believe Mr Cummings’ position is now untenable.”

 

Caroline Nokes

The chairwoman of the Commons women and equalities committee said she has informed her party whips there could not be “wriggle room” for some people when it comes to lockdown rules.

The former immigration minister tweeted: “I made my views clear to my whip yesterday. There cannot be one rule for most of us and wriggle room for others.

“My inbox is rammed with very angry constituents and I do not blame them. They have made difficult sacrifices over the course of the last nine weeks.”

 

Julian Sturdy

The York Outer MP tweeted: “As more information is revealed, I believe it is becoming clearer that Dominic Cummings’ position is no longer tenable.

“The PM needs to publicly address the situation without delay.”

 

Sir Robert Syms

The Poole MP tweeted: “The Government has to explain test, track and trace and the next phase of lifting lockdown next week.

“Whatever the merits of a Government adviser, they should never be the story or it detracts from the central message which is to get us out of this crisis. The adviser should go.”

 

Craig Whittaker

The Conservative MP for Calder Valley in West Yorkshire said Mr Cummings’ position is “untenable”.

He tweeted: “I totally agree that Dominic Cummings position is untenable.

“I’m sure he took the decision in the best interests of his family but like every decision we take we also have to take responsibility for those decisions.

“You cannot advise the nation one thing then do the opposite.”

 

Martin Vickers

The Tory MP for Cleethorpes said Mr Cummings had “undermined the Government’s message” and should have resigned.

 

David Warburton

Mr Warburton told BBC Breakfast that his own father died alone as a result of the coronavirus lockdown and said the story gives an impression of “double standards”.

He said: “People have made sacrifices… Instinct hasn’t really been part of it.

“Ideally, if he broke the rules then he obviously should be subject to the same kind of consequences as anybody else who broke the rules… To me, enough is really enough, I think he’s damaging the Government and the country that he’s supposed to be serving.”

 

Robert Halfon

Mr Halfon apologised to his constituents for originally tweeting in support of Mr Cummings.

The MP for Harlow in Essex wrote on his Facebook page: “I would first like to make it clear to residents that I regret writing the tweet in the way I did about the Number 10 political adviser and his movements.

“I am really sorry for it. I do not support, or condone anyone who has broken the law or regulations. Anyone who has done so should face the consequences.”

 

Lee Anderson

The new MP for Ashfield has called for answers on whether or no Mr Cummings broke lockdown rules once in Durham.

He wrote on Facebook: “Cummings should have a chance to come back on this as it is clear that he travelled to another house to live with his family but it is not clear if he came into contact with other members of his family or has been out and about as suggested.

“If it’s the latter then he should go.”

 

Peter Gibson

The MP for Darlington has called for an investigation into Mr Cummings’ movements, warning that if “rules have been broken the consequences need to be faced”.

“Such an investigation needs to be swift in order that we can all move on and get back to dealing with the next stage of this crisis.”

 

Jonathan Gullis 

The MP for Stoke-on-Trent North has told constituents they can “rest assured I’ve conveyed the strength of local feeling to relevant colleagues”.

 

Paul Holmes

The Eastleigh MP delivered a near identical message to his colleague Mr Gullis, saying that he had “conveyed the strength of local feeling to relevant colleagues very robustly in Government”.

 

Rob Roberts

The MP for Delyn joined mounting calls from his ‘blue wall’ colleagues to ask for a “proper investigation” into the matter.

He added: “If Mr Cummings has acted inappropriately according to an investigation, then he should go.”

 

William Wragg

While Mr Wragg has not released his own statement, the Hazel Grove MP suggested he was of the same view on the matter as Steve Baker by retweeting one of Steve Baker’s critical posts.