OT Cummings Press Statement

[MadAmster]

The Durham police don't seem to think so

Police and think in the same sentence. Oxymoron?

.... only jesting. They don't think in this case. They state that his transgression was worthy of a "naughty boy, now turn round and go home but not worth a fine". That, apparently, is what the Law says on this. I can accept that. What I do have difficulty with, and am shocked that Durham police haven't looked at it, is his "test drive" with impaired vision. That is a traffic violation in itself. What, for me, makes it worse is that he compounded his error by putting his wife and son in the car, endangering their safety as well as that of himself and all other road users. Had it been you or I doing such a "test drive" of 30 miles there and another 30 back would we get away with it?

[Trickytreesreds]

Police and think in the same sentence. Oxymoron?

.... only jesting. They don't think in this case. They state that his transgression was worthy of a "naughty boy, now turn round and go home but not worth a fine". That, apparently, is what the Law says on this. I can accept that. What I do have difficulty with, and am shocked that Durham police haven't looked at it, is his "test drive" with impaired vision. That is a traffic violation in itself. What, for me, makes it worse is that he compounded his error by putting his wife and son in the car, endangering their safety as well as that of himself and all other road users. Had it been you or I doing such a "test drive" of 30 miles there and another 30 back would we get away with it?

Thing is Maddy, how do you look into it?
If his vision was impaired, I'm guessing we have to be talking about cold like symptoms?
Watery eyes for example?

But how do you follow up on that after an event?
I know he wears glasses, so must I assume wear them when driving.
That would mean he should/has declared that on his license?
You can hardly knock on someones door though, weeks later after an event for a post eye test.

[mistaram]

The law says you can be stopped or fined If you go overnight to stay with anyone outside the family you live with Over 14,000 fines have already been issued for this offence No wonder he made a big thing of saying they shouted across a field to communicate

[ramAnag]

The Durham police don't seem to think so

GP, you are I suspect, quite purposely, missing the point.

Whether the breaking of the rules is primarily a legal or moral issue is a grey area.

The point is that here we undeniably have a very influential person - arguably the most influential in Westminster since Johnson became PM - showing total disregard for the rules which he has put in place for everyone else to live by.

It is on a par with MP’s fiddling their expenses, teachers, care staff or members of the clergy being found guilty of *****philic behaviour, medical staff who are abusers (or worse), accountants fiddling the books, ‘bent’ coppers and crooked local councillors.
The case for such examples having actually broken the law may be clearer in some of those cases, but first and foremost the ‘sin’ is the abuse of position and the complete contempt for the trust which the public has placed in those holding such positions.

As long as there are, otherwise sensible, people such as yourself, who delight more in obfuscation than actually taking a stance, and others who are driven by rather more sinister agendas, then nothing will change and we will continue to stumble from one crisis or scandal to another.

For me the most pressing point now is that we have reached a stage where our scientific and political masters seem more at odds than ever before during this crisis. We are at a crucial stage in the fight against Coronavirus and the scientists and the Government appear to disagree over fundamental issues regarding the easing of the lockdown.

I would honestly love to be able to trust in Government advice but, regardless of any political stance, how can the people of this country trust the increasingly crucial advice of a government when two Cabinet members have broken the rules, another (Grant Shapps) has either lied - or just been totally out of touch - the PM’s chief advisor has behaved in the way he has, and the PM himself has been reduced to talking bumbling bollux in an effort to defend the indefensible?

The days and weeks ahead will determine the success, or otherwise, of the nation’s recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic.
We will need truth, leadership and public support like never before.
Unfortunately all we are getting is lies, the betrayal of public trust and fudging from a government which, because of its own behaviour, now has as little credibility as it has integrity.

[Geoff Parkstone]

"It is on a par with MP’s fiddling their expenses, teachers, care staff or members of the clergy being found guilty of *****philic behaviour, medical staff who are abusers (or worse)...."

Are you for real, rA, or just woken up in a dreamworld.

You have just stated that Cummings' actions which, prima face, resulted in no harm to anyone, are "on a par with...... *****philia"

I now feel that there is no further need for comment. Your comments are simply demented.

[Ram59]

"It is on a par with MP’s fiddling their expenses, teachers, care staff or members of the clergy being found guilty of *****philic behaviour, medical staff who are abusers (or worse)...."

Are you for real, rA, or just woken up in a dreamworld.

You have just stated that Cummings' actions which, prima face, resulted in no harm to anyone, are "on a par with...... *****philia"

I now feel that there is no further need for comment. Your comments are simply demented.

It could be argued GP, that as a result of Cummings' actions and the media hysteria over the incident, certain unruly members of the public will ignore the advice given, which will result in more cases of Covid and ultimately more deaths.

Take out any 1 of those contributery factors and it wouldn't happen. So it could be argued that because of Cummings, people will die.

It's the 'butterfly' effect.

[ramAnag]

"It is on a par with MP’s fiddling their expenses, teachers, care staff or members of the clergy being found guilty of *****philic behaviour, medical staff who are abusers (or worse)...."

Are you for real, rA, or just woken up in a dreamworld.

You have just stated that Cummings' actions which, prima face, resulted in no harm to anyone, are "on a par with...... *****philia"

I now feel that there is no further need for comment. Your comments are simply demented.

Okay...yet more deliberate misinterpretation from you...that wasn’t predictable these days was it?

Of course some of those examples of wrongdoing have greater consequences than those of Mr. Cummings but, as I thought I’d made clear - and this is the point - what they all have in common is...the abuse of position and power and a complete contempt for public trust.

As it happens we shall probably never know if Cummings’ actions in travelling all those miles as a known carrier caused ‘any harm to anyone’. We don’t know if he stopped en route to fill up with fuel, buy a coffee or use a public toilet and we don’t know if anyone contracted Coronavirus as a result of handling the things he may have touched - fuel pump, change, toilet flush, tap etc - immediately afterwards. Furthermore we should be grateful that his eye sight checking drive didn’t result in injury to the four year old child he was allegedly seeking to protect or other road users he may have encountered.

All that though is of secondary importance now to the role he has played in the destruction of public confidence in this level of authority, and in that respect it is having exactly the same impact as fraudulent MP’s, dodgy priests/teachers/football coaches, ‘bent’ coppers etc.
Public trust and confidence in the way in which this whole crisis is being managed has been seriously eroded by the behaviour of this high ranking individual and the political ‘cover up’ that has ensued and that is now the issue.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Now who is obfuscation. I look forward to your comments on why his actions are on a par with kiddie fiddling?

[Geoff Parkstone]

No on second thoughts don't. Someone should simply delete the post or FM could find itself in libel trouble. There is no possible misinterpretation

[mistaram]

There is some good news according to today's papers Cummings has said he will be gone in six months tfft , By then Brexit will be finished we will be trading on WTO rules Johnson will be expecting another baby no longer is he PM The economy is near to collapsing , unemployment soars to over 4million , Priti Patel announces an amnesty to 40,000 illegal immigrants Mat Hancock is knighted in the New Years honours , Johnson is replaced by a cabbage to give some opposition to the questioning of Starmer