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This is taken from this BBC article on 28 May 2020. My comments in italics.
Dominic Cummings was appointed as a senior adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on n 24 July 2019, .
Dominic Cummings: Did he break lockdown rules?
The prime minister tells the UK public they "must stay at home". People are warned not to meet friends or family members they do not live with. Those with symptoms had already been told to self-isolate.
Mr Cummings is seen leaving 10 Downing Street. "I suddenly got a call from my wife who was looking after our four-year-old child. She told me she suddenly felt badly ill." He went home, but after a couple of hours his wife felt better and he returned to work.
Guidance: If Mr Cummings believed his wife may have had coronavirus, the guidance was that "all other household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days".
Evening: Mr Cummings went on to explain - "That evening I returned home and discussed the situation with my wife. She was ill. She might have Covid although she did not have a cough or a fever." Mr Cummings said many people he worked closely with, including the PM, had had symptoms or were absent with symptoms. He said: "I thought there was a distinct probability that I had already caught the disease."
Later: Mr Cummings drove up to Durham with his family, arriving "at roughly midnight". "I was worried that if my wife and I were both seriously ill, possibly hospitalised, there was nobody in London we could reasonably ask to look after our child and expose themselves to Covid.
"My wife had felt on the edge of being able to look after him safely a few hours earlier." Mr Cummings did not say that at the point the family drove north his wife was unable to look after their child.
Guidance: Stay at home is the simple government advice for households where one or more members have coronavirus symptoms. However, the main advice page says it is not always straightforward when children are involved. It says: "If you have children, keep following this advice to the best of your ability, however, we are aware that not all these measures will be possible."
Other government advice did not contain this caveat, such as the leaflet drawn up at the end of March to be sent to every house. Nor did the government page on essential travel which said: "Essential travel does not include visits to second homes... whether for isolation purposes or holidays. People must remain in their primary residence."
Mr Cummings says he woke up "in pain and clearly had Covid symptoms, including a bad headache and a serious fever".
A No 10 source confirmed Mr Cummings had developed symptoms of the virus and was self-isolating "at home".
Durham Constabulary speak to the father of Dominic Cummings who confirms that his son and family were present at the property.
During the night, Mr Cummings' four-year-old son "threw up and had a bad fever". Following medical advice, an ambulance took the child to hospital. He was accompanied by Mr Cummings' wife. Mr Cummings "could barely stand up".
After being taken to hospital, Mr Cummings' son woke up the next day having recovered. He was tested for coronavirus and his mother, who was with him at the hospital, was told "they should return home". According to Mr Cummings, there were no taxis so he "drove to the hospital, picked him up and returned home". He said he "did not leave the car or have any contact with anybody on this short trip". But according to his wife's later article in the Spectator Mr Cummings had a high fever and muscle spasms in his legs throughout this period.
Guidance: People with symptoms that may be caused by coronavirus and who do not require hospital treatment are told they "must remain at home until they are well". General NHS guidelines on being discharged from hospital say: "If you're being discharged, arrange for a relative or friend to collect you, or let the staff know if they need to make other transport arrangements for you."
At some point in the week leading up to this date, Mr Cummings discussed his decision to travel to Durham with the prime minister. "When we were both sick and in bed," he said, "I mentioned to him what I had done. Unsurprisingly given the condition we were in, neither of us remember the conversation in any detail." [Boris Johnson admitted to hospital with Covid on 5 April, and moved to intensive care on 6 April.]
Mr Cummings said "after I started to recover, one day in the second week, I tried to walk outside the house". He confirmed he, his wife and his son went for a walk into woods owned by his father and it was at this point he was seen by passers-by but his family "had no interaction with them". The exact date is not clear but his second week isolating in Durham would have between these two dates.
Guidance: Advice concerning outdoor exercise changed during the second week in April, when Mr Cummings and his family walked in the woods. Until 9 April, people with coronavirus symptoms and their household were told they could exercise outdoors. On that date, the advice changed to say "any exercise should be taken within your home".
Believing he had recovered by this date, albeit "feeling weak and exhausted", Mr Cummings said he "sought expert medical advice". "I explained our family's symptoms and all the timings and asked if it was safe to return to work on Monday or Tuesday, seek childcare and so on. I was told that it was safe and I could return to work."
Mr Cummings drives to Barnard Castle, about 25 miles from his parents' home in Durham, with his wife and child. He explained this episode as needing to test his driving was fine before making the long drive back to London. He said he'd been having problems with his vision. [He was seen in baqrbard castle by someone.]
Guidance: The 1988 Road Traffic Act says: "If a person drives a motor vehicle on a road while his eyesight is such (whether through a defect which cannot be, or one which is not for the time being, sufficiently corrected) that he cannot comply with any requirement as to eyesight prescribed under this Part of this Act for the purposes of tests of competence to drive, he is guilty of an offence." The Highway Code says: "You MUST report to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) any health condition likely to affect your driving."
Sir Peter Fahy, former chief constable of Manchester Police, said the drive to Barnard Castle was potentially a criminal offence. "It's not the way to test your eyesight and put, potentially, other people in danger." On Twitter, John Apter, chair of the Police Federation for England and Wales, said: "If you're feeling unwell and your eyesight may be impaired do not drive your vehicle to test your ability to drive. It's not a wise move."
Michael Gove told the BBC: "Dominic's eyesight was good enough. That was the whole point of the journey, to determine that he could drive safely."
Mr Cummings and his family travel back to London.
Mr Cummings is seen in Downing Street for the first time since 27 March.
Five days after being in London, The Observer and Mirror report that Mr Cummings is seen again in Durham by an unnamed witness. Mr Cummings says he did not return to Durham and that evidence on his phone proves this.
[From Wikipedia: The journey to Barnard Castle took place on his wife's birthday. On 25 May, Cummings made a public statement in the garden of 10 Downing Street, giving the following account of his actions during the time in question.
On 14 November 2020, The Times reported that Cummings had been told to leave Downing Street by Johnson... He was photographed leaving Number 10 with a storage box.]
This is taken from this BBC article on 26 June 2021.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has resigned after he admitted breaching social distancing guidance, saying "those of us who make these rules have got to stick by them".
His resignation and apology followed photos published by the Sun newspaper showing him in an embrace with a colleague, Gina Coladangelo.
The paper says the photos of the pair - both of whom are married - were taken inside the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on 6 May 2021.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats had called for the health secretary to be sacked before he quit.
What is the social distancing guidance?
Social distancing in workplaces is not a legal requirement, but it is recommended.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says: "Where possible you should keep people 2m apart. If this is not viable, keeping 1m apart with risk mitigation is acceptable."
The government's guidelines say: "When you cannot redesign an activity to meet social distance guidelines, ask if your business can continue without that activity."
Face coverings are not mandatory in offices. Guidance says they are "not a replacement for the other ways of managing risk including "minimising time spent in contact".
What did law say about meeting indoors?
On 6 May, England was still at Stage 2 of Covid restrictions.
When it came to gatherings indoors, the law stated: "No person may participate in a gathering... which consists of two or more people and takes place indoors."
There was an exception for work purposes but only if the gathering was "reasonably necessary".
"I cannot see how that exception could apply in the circumstances," Adam Wagner, a barrister from Doughty Street Chambers who is an expert on the lockdown restrictions told BBC Reality Check.
"Based on what we know, this seems to me to have been an illegal gathering."
What did Mr Hancock say at the time?
The week before the photo is said to have been taken, Mr Hancock said: "This is no time for complacency, it's a time for caution." Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, he reminded the public to "remember the basics of hands, face, space, and fresh air".
On 11 May, he said that once restrictions were eased he would be "trusting people's personal responsibility" on whether to hug others. He told Sky News: "It depends on people's circumstances."
On 16 May, he told Sky News: "Of course, there's people who have been yearning to have some physical contact - you should do that carefully."
On the subject of hugging, he added: "The thing I'm really looking forward to is hugging my Mum... we'll probably do it outside and keep the ventilation going."
That was the day before hugging was allowed under the guidelines, on 17 May.
A year before the photos were taken, he commented on the actions of Prof Neil Ferguson.
Prof Ferguson quit as a government adviser after the Telegraph reported that a woman he was said to be in a relationship with had visited his home in lockdown.
At the time, Mr Hancock told Sky News that it was "just not possible" for Prof Ferguson to continue advising the government.
He said the social distancing rules "are there for everyone" and are "deadly serious".
What about other rules?
The Ministerial Code says ministers "are expected to maintain high standards of behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety".
It also says that they "must ensure that no conflict arises, or could reasonably be perceived to arise, between their public duties and their private interests, financial or otherwise".
A DHSC spokesperson was asked about the appointment of Gina Coladangelo (a friend of Mr Hancock since university) as a non-executive director of the health department last year and said: "This appointment was made in the usual way and followed correct procedure".
Dr Catherine Haddon, from the Institute of Government, says: "There is a good case to be made that Hancock may have broken some... aspects of the ministerial code".
But she questioned whether an inquiry into this would take place: "It is still up to the prime minister to decide whether the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests can look into a minister".
Downing Street had said Boris Johnson had accepted Mr Hancock's apology and considered the matter closed, before the health secretary stepped down on Saturday, 26 June.
[Following his resignation as Health Secretary, Hancock returned to the backbenches. In December 2022, he announced his intention to stand down at the next UK general election. Hancock was a contestant on the 22nd series of the reality television series "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!", filmed while Parliament was in session. In response to participating in the show, the Conservative Party suspended the whip for Hancock—in effect removing him from their parliamentary group but retaining him as a party member.]
This is taken from this BBC article on 14 January 2022.
Downing Street has apologised to Buckingham Palace for two staff parties in No 10 on the night before Prince Philip's funeral.
The gatherings, first reported by The Telegraph, took place on 16 April 2021 and went on until the early hours.
The PM's spokesman said it was "deeply regrettable that this took place at a time of national mourning".
Boris Johnson was not at either party - but he faces questions over alleged Covid rule-breaking at No 10.
The latest party revelations led to a backlash from opposition parties, who contrasted the behaviour of No 10 staff with pictures of the Queen sitting alone at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral, due to Covid restrictions.
Analysis by Viki Young, Deputy Political Editor
At this point all Downing Street can do is apologise.
The plan was to buy time waiting for Sue Gray's report but even that became untenable as Boris Johnson was forced to say sorry to the Commons and now to the Queen. [Sue Gray was Second Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office. Her report was on this whole issue.]
The problem for the prime minister and his team is that they are not in control of this situation, they don't know what's coming next and can only react.
The absurd detail about filling a suitcase with wine in the latest leak has prompted a raft of memes mocking Mr Johnson and his staff. No politician wants to be the object of ridicule.
For now it's clear they're trying to insulate the prime minister, pointing out that he was away when these latest antics took place.
There's no sign his cabinet is plotting against him, but the danger hasn't passed.
Asked why No 10 had apologised rather than Boris Johnson himself, his spokesman told reporters: "Well, again, the prime minister said earlier misjudgements have been made and it's right people apologise, as the PM did earlier this week."
The spokesman says he could not prejudge Ms Gray's inquiry, but added: "We acknowledge the significant public anger, it was regrettable this took place a time of national mourning."
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called on Mr Johnson to apologise personally to the Queen "for the offence he's caused her and millions around the country mourning for loved ones".
The two parties last April involved around 30 people in total, and are reported to have converged at some point in the Downing Street garden, where they continued past midnight.
Staff were reportedly sent to a nearby shop with a suitcase, that was brought back "filled with bottles of wine".
They were both leaving parties: one for the PM's then director of communications, James Slack, and the other for one of the PM's personal photographers.
Mr Slack, who is now deputy editor of The Sun newspaper, has apologised for the "anger and hurt" caused by the party, and acknowledged it "should not have happened at the time that it did".
At the time, England was under "step two" restrictions that stipulated people could not socialise indoors, except with those from their household or support bubble.
People could socialise outdoors in groups of up to six people or two households.
The government has faced intense pressure over events held in an around Downing Street.
Boris Johnson announced a plan to take the "first careful steps" out of the lockdown that began in March 2020. But he said people should continue to "obey the rules on social distancing and to enforce those rules we will increase the fines for the small minority who break them". Legal restrictions at the time said you could not leave your house without a reasonable excuse and government guidance was that you could meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor setting while exercising.
A photo from May 2020 showed the prime minister and his staff with bottles of wine and a cheeseboard in the Downing Street garden. When asked about it, Boris Johnson said, "those people were at work talking about work".
About 100 people were invited by email to "socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden" on behalf of the prime minister's principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds. Witnesses told the BBC the PM and his wife were among about 30 people who attended. Boris Johnson has confirmed he attended the event, saying he was there for 25 minutes and "believed implicitly that this was a work event".
A gathering took place in the Cabinet Office to mark the departure of a No 10 private secretary.
On Boris Johnson's birthday, up to 30 people gathered in the Cabinet Room at No 10 to present the prime minister with a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday, according to a report by ITV News. No 10 said staff had "gathered briefly" to "wish the prime minister a happy birthday", adding that he had been there "for less than 10 minutes". Rules at the time banned most indoor gatherings involving more than two people.
Boris Johnson announced plans for a "significant return to normality" in England by Christmas "through targeted, local action" instead of national lockdowns. But he added that the timetable relied on "every one of us staying alert and acting responsibly".
With cases of coronavirus rising again, the prime minister told people in England that "we are once again asking you to stay at home" as a new national lockdown began. He said people should only leave their homes "for work if you can't work from home, for education, and for essential activities and emergencies". Indoor gatherings with other households were banned, unless they were for work purposes.
Sources told the BBC that Downing Street staff members attended a gathering with Carrie Johnson in the flat where she and the prime minister live. A spokesman for Mrs Johnson denies the party took place.
A leaving event was held for No 10 aide, Cleo Watson, where people were drinking, and Mr Johnson made a speech, according to sources.
The second national lockdown ended after four weeks but Boris Johnson replaced those restrictions with "tough tiers to keep this virus down". London was placed in tier two, which banned two or more people from different households from meeting indoors, unless "reasonably necessary" for work purposes.
The Department for Education has confirmed it had an office gathering to thank staff for their work during the pandemic. It says drinks and snacks were brought by those who attended and no outside guests or support staff were invited.
The Conservative Party has admitted that an "unauthorised gathering" took place at its HQ in Westminster. It was held by the team of the party's London-mayoral candidate, Shaun Bailey, who has since stepped down as chair of the London Assembly police and crime committee. The Metropolitan Police is to speak to two people who attended the party. The gathering at the Conservative Party headquarters was described as 'raucous'.
Multiple sources have told the BBC there was a Christmas quiz for No 10 staff last year. A photo - published by the Sunday Mirror - showed Boris Johnson taking part and sitting between two colleagues in No 10. Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing. Mr Johnson was pictured in the No 10 library under a portrait of Margaret Thatcher.
London moved into the highest tier of restrictions and Matt Hancock, who was health secretary at the time, said it was important "everyone is cautious" ahead of the festive period. The Department for Transport apologised after confirming reports of a party in its offices that day, calling it "inappropriate" and an "error of judgment" by staff.
A leaving party was held at the Cabinet Office for the outgoing head of the civil service Covid taskforce - the team responsible for drawing up coronavirus restrictions. Kate Josephs, now chief executive of Sheffield City Council, apologised for the event, saying she was "truly sorry that I did this and for the anger that people will feel as a result".
Downing Street originally denied a report by the Daily Mirror that a party took place in Downing Street. However, a video obtained by ITV News showed the prime minister's then-press secretary Allegra Stratton, joking about reports of an event, saying: "This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced."
A gathering was held in No 10 Downing Street to mark the departure of two private secretaries.
Lockdown restrictions were eased in England, with pubs and restaurants allowed to reopen with outdoor service only. However, working from home continued to be recommended and socialising indoors with people from other households was not allowed. Meeting others outdoors was limited to groups of six people or two households.
Two parties were held by Downing Street staff at No 10, the night before Prince Philip's funeral. One of the events was a leaving party for the PM's then director of communications James Slack, who has apologised for the event and acknowledged it "should not have happened at the time that it did". Boris Johnson was not at either party.
[Boris Johynson got fined for contravening Covid regulations in April 2022. On 6 June 2022, the Conservative Party announced that Johnson would face a vote of confidence in his leadership of the party over this issue, after at least 54 Conservative MPs wrote no-confidence letters. But he won the vote. However in June and July 2022 the Chris Pincher scandal broke, which caused mass reisgnations of ministers. On 7 Jul 2022 Boris Johnson resigns. That led to the premiership of Liz Triuss, which is a whole new kettle of ballparks, which this website does not cover.
On 9 June 2023, after receiving a confidential report from a committee of the House of Commons that was looking into whether he had lied to Parliament over lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street during the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson announced his resignation as MP.]
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