In light of this tweet, I have been going back over what Dominic Cummings said about his movements at the press conference yesterday, and returning to Durham (or not)
All is explained in the thread
All is explained in the thread
First, Cummings's opening statement
Transcript here:
thesun.co.uk/news/11703705/…
These are the relevant parts - quoted in full
Transcript here:
thesun.co.uk/news/11703705/…
These are the relevant parts - quoted in full
"In the last few days, there have been many media reports that I returned to Durham after the 13th of April."
"All these stories are false. There is a particular report that I returned there on the 19th of April."
"All these stories are false. There is a particular report that I returned there on the 19th of April."
"Photos and data on my phone prove this to be false. And local CCTV, if it exists, would also prove that I'm telling the truth that I was in London on that day. I was not in Durham."
2 especially important points. First: "All these stories are false" - i.e. there were no trips.
2 especially important points. First: "All these stories are false" - i.e. there were no trips.
Second, the 19 April case - as mentioned by The Mirror - gets a special mention, and he claims can be disproven.
This is that story:
mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…
This is that story:
mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…
Then there was further discussion of this issue in the Q&A, replying to a question from @Peston - from 50 mins 30 seconds into the film here youtube.com/watch?v=-mSyZG…
Transcript is my own
Transcript is my own
Peston: "Nothing since then [trip to Barnard Castle] either?"
DC: "Nothing in terms of?"
Peston: "Nothing, trips that break the rules as it were?
DC: "No, I mean I left, I am not exactly sure where the boundaries of London are...
DC: "Nothing in terms of?"
Peston: "Nothing, trips that break the rules as it were?
DC: "No, I mean I left, I am not exactly sure where the boundaries of London are...
...but as far as I am aware the only time that I left London since Tuesday the 14th [April] was to go to Chequers for meetings with the Prime Minister"
As well as the Mirror story alleging a trip on 19 April, there are a whole series of tweets with supposed sightings of Cummings on 10 May
Also bear in mind: lockdown rules were only loosened after that, on 13 May
So as I see it the issue is this: if Durham Police (or indeed anyone else for that matter) come up with hard evidence of a further trip, he's toast
And if he claims (my emphasis) "AS FAR AS I AM AWARE the only time that I left London since Tuesday the 14th was to go to Chequers" means he conveniently forgot a trip, then his memory is worse than his excuse for Barnard Castle
/ends
/ends
