By Ben Kerrigan-
The resignation of Junior minister Douglas Ross over the Dominic Cummings row has intensified the political row over his lockdown breach.
The Under Secretary of State for Scotland, said the senior aide’s view of the government guidance was “not shared by the vast majority of people”. He says his resignation is a matter of principle.
Mr Cummings has refused to apologise for his decision to drive 260 miles in March from his home to his parents’ farm with his wife and child. The Prime Minister’s adviser said it was legal and reasonable, but conceded that reasonable people may not agree with him.
In a statement announcing his resignation, the Tory MP for Moray, said: “While the intentions may have been well meaning, the reaction to this news shows that Mr Cummings interpretation of the government advice was not shared by the vast majority of people who have done as the government asked.”
“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.”
A No 10 spokesman 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.”
Mr Cummings admission to testing his eyesight as part of an experiment to see if he could make the trip back down to London after driving miles to see his parents sparked consternation among members of the public and Mps.
He said he wanted to make arrangements to ensure his child would be well looked after after hearing that both his wife and child had exhibited symptoms of Covid-19.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Cummings acted legally, reasonably, and with integrity. He described it as ”a father’s instinct”.
That explanation has not resonated with others who feel they sacrificed their own instincts in not seeing close family members or attending funerals.
The row has also been used as an excuse for explaining lockdown breaches by others. Many members of the public had been breaching the lockdown prior to the revelation of Mr. Cummings trip, but there are concerns it might be used as further justification for further breaches
Mr. Cummings travelled from work in Westminster to his home on 27 March after his wife Mary Wakefield – fell ill, then returned to work hours later.
He said his wife was ill and told him she might pass out. He said he felt there was nobody he felt he could trust to help and open themselves up to Covid-19 . Mr. Cumming’s mother’s brother had died of Covid-19.
He drove to pick up his wife and son from hospital, where his son had stayed overnight after he “threw up and had a bad fever”