Right, here’s the first tranche of “missed” press releases, and there’ll be Sunday’s in about half an hour…

• Davey: When did the PM know about Cummings breaking lockdown rules?
• Davey demands investigation into Cummings breaking lockdown
• Second Cummings lockdown questions PM’s judgement and demands inquiry

Davey: When did the PM know about Cummings breaking lockdown rules?

Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey has called on the Prime Minister to confirm if and when he knew about Dominic Cummings breaking the government’s lockdown guidelines. He said:

Millions of people have been forced to cancel their normal lives, including important family gatherings like weddings and funerals. Frankly, people will be angry that Dominic Cummings had deemed himself the exception to the rule.

The buck stops with the Prime Minister. What did he know and when? If Dominic Cummings has broken the guidelines he will have to go, it is as simple as that.

Sadly, this episode only adds to the confusion created by the Prime Minister badly communicating his Government’s plans. The Government is asking a lot of the public during this crisis, and the British people deserve clear, honest answers in return.

Davey demands investigation into Cummings breaking lockdown

The Liberal Democrats have written to the Prime Minister and to the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill, calling for an investigation into reports Dominic Cummings broke the government’s lockdown guidelines.

In his letter, the Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey warns “the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers makes it clear that special advisers must “comply with the law” and urged the Prime Minister to instigate an investigation using the available police evidence.

The Liberal Democrat MP further calls on the Prime Minister to “personally ensure that if he [Dominc Cummings] has broken the lockdown guidelines you will terminate his contract as your Senior Adviser.”

Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

Millions of people have made incredible sacrifices to stop the coronavirus. The Prime Minister must understand how angry people are about reports his Senior Adviser appears to have wilfully disregarded the lockdown rules.

The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers makes it clear they must be honest, truthful and open. The buck stops with the Prime Minister. He should open an investigation and if it finds Dominic Cummings has broken the guidelines then he will have to sack him.

The Prime Minister must not allow this to become a distraction to the serious questions about low testing capacity, the severe lack of PPE for frontline workers and why so many people are dying in care homes.

The Government is asking a lot of the public during this crisis, and the British people deserve clear, honest answers in return.

Second Cummings lockdown questions PM’s judgement and demands inquiry

Responding to reports that Dominic Cummings ignored coronavirus lockdown rules for a second time to visit his parents more than 250 miles away, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

If Dominic Cummings is now allowed to remain in place a moment longer, it will increasingly be the Prime Minister’s judgement that is in the spotlight.

Surely Boris Johnson must now recognise the actions of his top adviser are an insult to the millions who have made huge personal sacrifices to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Each minute the Prime Minister allows this scandal to drag on is another minute the Government is distracted from upscaling Britain’s testing capacity, securing PPE for frontline workers and ending tragic deaths in our care homes.

The Prime Minister must come clean about what he knows and terminate Dominic Cummings’ contract. It is now clearer than ever that, once we are through this crisis, there must also be an independent inquiry to review the Government’s actions.