Dominic Cummings: Durham police asked to establish whether Boris Johnson aide broke law

Police have been asked to establish the facts about Dominic Cummings’s movements in Durham during lockdown.

Acting Durham Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner Steve White said he had asked Durham Police to look into what happened “concerning any potential breach of the law or regulations.”

The move came as Durham police confirmed that officers spoke with Mr Cummings' father about his son's arrival in the county, but withdrew a claim that they gave him "specific advice" about the correct actions to be taken during the coronavirus outbreak to remain in accordance with lockdown guidelines.

In a statement on Friday, the constabulary said that "in line with national policing guidance, officers explained to the family the guidelines around self-isolation and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel" in relation to the coronavirus lockdown.

But a new statement issued on Monday amended details of the advice, stating instead that "our officer gave no specific advice on coronavirus to any members of the family and ... Durham Constabulary deemed that no further action was required in that regard".

The change in wording will be seen as helpful to Downing Street, which said, in a reference to the decision of Mr Cummings to self-isolate with his wife and child in a house near his parents' home, that "at no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter."

The new police statement, issued shortly before Mr Cummings's press conference in the 10 Downing Street garden, said: "We can confirm that on 1 April, an officer from Durham Constabulary spoke to the father of Dominic Cummings.

"Mr Cummings confirmed that his son, his son’s wife and child were present at the property. He told the officer that his son and son’s wife were displaying symptoms of coronavirus and were self-isolating in part of the property.

"We can further confirm that our officer gave no specific advice on coronavirus to any members of the family and that Durham Constabulary deemed that no further action was required in that regard.Our officer did, however, provide the family with advice on security issues."

In a statement released earlier in the day, Mr White said it was vital that the force should show “it has the interests of the people of County Durham and Darlington at its heart, so that the model of policing by consent, independent of government but answerable to the law, is maintained.”

Mr White said he was confident the force had responded proportionately and appropriately so far.

But he added that there was now a “plethora of additional information” in the public domain which deserved appropriate examination.

He added: “I have today written to the Chief Constable, asking her to establish the facts concerning any potential breach of the law or regulations in this matter at any juncture.”

It would be for the Chief Constable to determine the operational response to this request, he added.

Earlier Education Secretary Gavin Williamson sidestepped questions about whether or not Mr Cummings took a sightseeing trip while he was in Durham.

The government has admitted the prime minister’s most senior adviser drove 260-miles to stay near family while the country was in lockdown.

Mr Johnson has said he did the right thing because he was seeking childcare for his young son.

But questions also remain about whether or not Mr Cummings stopped during the four hour car journey.

Mr Johnson has defied calls from his own MPs to sack Mr Cummings.

But he is facing mounting pressure to order a Whitehall investigation to establish the facts of the case.