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LONDON, May 30 (Reuters) - Britain's COVID-19 lockdown rules
are clear and apply to everyone, a senior medical officer said
when asked about a long road trip made by the prime minister's
top adviser, Dominic Cummings, at the height of the lockdown.
England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam has
become a favourite on social media during the pandemic due to
his colourful turn of phrase, including his insistence on
Saturday that the public must not "tear the pants" out of new,
slightly looser guidelines.
Asked at a daily news conference whether people in authority
should set an example and obey the rules, he willingly addressed
the issue in contrast to his boss and the country's chief
scientific officer, who did not comment on the matter at a
previous briefing.
"Thank you for the question and I'm quite happy to answer
it," he said.
"In my opinion the rules are clear and they have always been
clear. In my opinion, they are for the benefit of all and in my
opinion they apply to all."
Cummings, the campaigner who helped deliver the 2016 Brexit
referendum win and Boris Johnson's 2019 election landslide, has
been fighting to keep his job this week after his long road trip
at the height of the lockdown provoked outrage across Britain.
Cummings has refused to apologise for the trip, involving a
400 km (250 mile) trip to his parents' property in northern
England and another trip to a local castle that he said he took
to test his eyes and driving ability after falling ill.
The local police force said he may have breached lockdown
rules with the shorter drive but said they would take no further
action. Johnson has said he accepts the explanation and believes
the matter is now closed.
(Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by Giles Elgood and Helen
Popper)