DESPITE Cummings’s attempted justification of his actions through his description of his family’s illness, I have to take exception to another part of his “testimony”.

He claims he tried to get back to work to help with the crisis. Given that he is neither a scientific nor a medical advisor but a political advisor, what help was he going to deliver? His political advice should have been well down the list of the government’s priorities.

He is not a member of the government but is being treated as the de facto prime minister, the power behind the throne. Is Boris so hapless that he cannot cope without him, or does Cummings know too many secrets that Boris is terrified he will unleash if he fires him?

We are being governed by an unelected cabal who believe they can do as they wish because of their very unaccountability.

Colin Waddell
Larbert

READ MORE: Dominic Cummings says he behaved 'reasonably' in lockdown trip

WELL well, Dominic Cummings has a soft, gentle, humble side to his personality. That side is of course written down and read out word for word in a quavering voice, and paints a picture of a poor helpless father with nowhere else to turn but to the bosom of his family, in far-off Durham. The most powerful man in England, tragically, was apparently denied any other source of support. (Where’s my hanky?)

After possible virus infection he was forced, had no other possible options but to drive 250 or so miles, risking the possibility of collapsing at the wheel and killing his own family, several others and a bus queue. In Durham, with understandable anxiety about his post-viral wonky eyesight, he heroically risked his own life and those of his family, and passing cars, during another hair-raising car ride to Barnard Castle, before triumphantly returning to London to take back control of the reins of power of this Great Union. Phew!

Derek Ball
Bearsden

READ MORE: Now we know why Dominic Cummings is seen as a strategic genius​

SO, Dominic Cummings is too exceptional and essential to be sacked and we peasants should all just sod off. The supreme leader, Boris Johnson, is ... eh, somewhere doing something. Prince Charles is, yet again, invoking the World War Two spirit to “dig for victory”, while elegantly clad in a £2,000 overcoat and displaying a po-faced, puckered-lip countenance that’s never experienced a bead of sweat.

Rishi Sunak is panicking that his ill-conceived, dodgy, sleight-of-hand “furlough” scheme is about to unravel and a bunch of dissembling inadequates – namely Gove, Patel, Shapps, Raab, Hancock and Jenryk – stand in front of us every night with instructions to buy time and cover up the corruption and incompetence, while they asset-strip the country in advance of economic Armageddon. Don’t worry – the good old USA will gallop in to rescue our health and education systems.

I never thought I would advocate a Graeme Souness-style play the man, not the ball lunge. However, in the circumstances I think everyone should get stuck right in and ridicule, lampoon and satirise these clowns relentlessly and savagely. No point in calling them liars and presenting proof of their lies, because they just lie about the lies. Go in hard on their character, their track record, their hypocrisy and their vested interests, and don’t stop until the snivelling cowards sod off.

Eddie McKinney
Edinburgh

READ MORE: SNP MP suggests Dominic Cummings story may be a smokescreen​

AFTER reading the latest shameless denial of any lockdown violation by another Tory offender, the arrogant Mr Cummings, I then listened to the UK PM shamelessly trying to defend his good buddy with typical “bodyswerving” of questions from the press and media. I wonder if they will persist with this issue as they did in Scotland with the Catherine Calderwood lockdown violation?

If that political charade wasn’t bad enough, to my amazement the BBC followed up with comments from the Scottish Tory leader Carlaw, who uttered the most hypocritical and embarrassing supportive comments when one compares his previous criticisms of Calderwood and demanding her immediate removal as the Scottish CMO. What a minion and a non-entity of a sycophantic Scottish Tory leader, who is only too willing to bow to the demands of his Westminster paymasters!!!

Remember this is the same guy who was anti-Brexit and anti-Johnson – “turning on a sixpence” is all too easy for this man without any moral fibre or principles whatsoever!! He was also the previous deputy Scottish Tory leader who kept reminding our FM that Ruth Davidson was going to be the next Scottish FM in 2021 – the clown with “egg on his face” again!!

I look forward to the Scottish election when I and lots of similarly minded Scottish voters will see Carlaw and his minority group of Tory hypocrites “wiped off” the Scottish political landscape AGAIN and deservedly so.

Bernie Japs
Edinburgh

“WE are all in this together”, “we are better together” and “levelling up our society” are the phrases used by our UK Government and many of the Conservatives in Scotland to describes the ethos and actions underpinning the direction of travel.

The actions of Dominic Cummings and his wife have holed the Conservative party and the Boris Johnson government below the water line. As has been reported, there was no need for them to travel to Durham. If he wanted to use the privilege that he has acquired as the Senior SPAD to Boris Johnson, there is a government that could have mobilised to support his family. I find it strange and can find no explanation why their local London family could not assist them, as many of the families throughout the UK have supported one another.

Boris Johnson has made a strategic error, and to recover his standing Dominic Cummings should be let go.

Alistair Ballantyne
Birkhill, Angus

I ASSUME that all the people in the UK who have been issued with fines for breaking the lockdown rules will now be reimbursed. Given Boris Johnson has pointed out that the rules were not law just guidance, the police had no right to hand out the fines. Perhaps the police have left themselves open to allegations of police harassment as they were acting outwith the law.

Harry Key
Largoward, Fife