Politicians serving Hartlepool have their say over Dominic Cummings' lockdown admissions

Dominic Cummings, Conservative Councillor for Hartlepool Mike Young and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen.

The chief aide to Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced a backlash, including from some Conservative MPs, over his trip to County Durham during the coronavirus lockdown.

However, Mr Cummings asserted at a press conference on Monday that he was acting in the best interests of his family, and he has been backed by the Prime Minister, who said he acted ‘responsibly, legally and with integrity’.

Councillor Mike Young, deputy leader of Hartlepool Borough Council and deputy chairman for Hartlepool Conservative Association, said it was regrettable so much media attention has been placed on an unelected advisor at a time when people are losing loved ones.

He added, as one of four Conservative councillors on Hartlepool Borough Council, the most important thing for them was to ensure local front line services are being continued, and praised the efforts of residents.

Coun Young, Rural West ward representative, said: “As local councillors, our primary role is to serve our constituents; we have been doing this by ensuring that front line services have continued throughout Covid-19 and that our vulnerable residents have been taken care of.

“We are proud of the council officers for their hard work and the awareness and effort of the majority of residents in the borough at this time of challenge.

“Regrettably, an unelected advisor has grabbed so much media attention at a time when people are still losing loved ones.

“However, we don’t believe it is the role of a local councillor to pass judgement on what someone may or may not have done regardless of our strong personal views.

“We will continue to serve Rural West and the broader town throughout these unprecedented times.”

Similarly, Tees Valley Combined Authority Mayor Ben Houchen, also a Conservative, said people can ‘make their own minds up’ following what happened.

It comes after at a press conference earlier this week Mr Cummings admitted to driving around 260 miles to Durham with his wife and young son to self isolate while ill with Covid-19, which he said was for childcare reasons.

He also said he drove out to a hospital in Durham, and later to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight.

Mr Houchen added his focus remains on continuing to support people and businesses in the area.

He said: “It’s important that everyone does their best to act in accordance with the rules and guidance the government issues to keep the country safe from the coronavirus.

“I know that concern has been expressed about Dominic Cummings’ trip to Durham.

“My understanding is that he has now set out the details of his trip.

“The facts should now therefore be available to everyone and they can make up their own minds if they wish about the extent to which this was acceptable or not.

“I’m sure people will make their own judgements and they might want to write to your local MP to raise this issue with them to make them aware of your feelings in the light of this.

“I don’t have any formal powers over enforcing these rules or over public health – this sits with the police, so I am just continuing to focus on the work I have responsibility for; promoting the necessary information people need to control the virus, whilst working to do all I can to help local people and businesses through this difficult time.

“This is what I have stuck to throughout this crisis – doing what I can to get local people and businesses through this period and not getting distracted from the big task of building a plan to make sure that Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool are in the best position to bounce back from this.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.