‘Deep national disquiet’: Emily Maitlis praised for summing up public mood over Dominic Cummings row in Newsnight opener

‘He made those who struggled to keep to the rules feel like fools,’ presenter says

Emily Maitlis has been praised for her introduction to a Newsnight special largely dedicated to the Dominic Cummings controversy.

The presenter opened the show by saying the prime minister’s chief advisor ”broke the rules”, adding: “The country can see that, and it’s shocked the government cannot.”

“He was the man, remember, who always got the public mood,” she said, ”who tagged the lazy label of elite on those who disagreed. He should understand that public mood one now: one of fury, contempt and anguish.

“He made those who struggled to keep to the rules feel like fools, and has allowed many more to assume they can now flout them.”

Mr Cummings has been under scrutiny for his movements in April during the UK’s national lockdown, which included driving 260 miles from London to Durham, and a journey to Barnard Castle in the northeast.

The chief advisor to Boris Johnson said he had travelled north to isolate in a property on his father’s farm because of concerns over care for his four-year-old son if both he and his wife were incapacitated by coronavirus.

In a televised speech following public outrage, Mr Cummings said the trip to Barnard Castle was to test his eyesight before driving back to the capital.

Following on from her comments about public anger and people feeling they can now ignore lockdown rules, Ms Maitlis said: “The prime minister knows all this, but despite the resignation of one minister, growing unease from his backbenchers, a dramatic early warning from the polls, and a deep national disquiet, Boris Johnson has chosen to ignore it.”

The presenter said Newsnight would discuss what this “blind loyalty” shows about how No10 operates.

She has been praised for the “brilliant” introduction to the BBC show, with one person on social media saying her comments were “most definitely needed”.

“Emily Maitlis has summed it up perfectly,” another Twitter user said.

Sharing a clip of her opening monologue, David Lammy, a Labour MP, called the Newsnight introduction “public service broadcasting”.

Additional reporting by Press Association