Boris Johnson may want us to ‘move on’, but we will never forgive or forget the Dominic Cummings affair

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

Nearly 900,000 people have signed a petition calling for Dominic Cummings to quit (Peter Summers/Getty Images)

I, like so many law abiding people in this country, am fuming over this whole Dominic Cummings affair.

At first I was mad that he was so arrogant to think that he did not have to follow the rules everyone else did and that he would not accept that he did something wrong. Since then, I am more infuriated by the attitude of Boris Johnson who thinks by bluffing it out and saying it is time to move on that the general public will just forget this little blip. I am also annoyed that they are constantly saying it is the press who are keeping this going. He is not even listening to his own party members!

The general public voted all MPs into their positions – they are there to serve the people. Dominic Cummings has no elected role. What worries me is that Boris Johnson is willing to embarrass his cabinet by putting them into the uncomfortable position of having to back this appalling decision not to sack this man. So, not only do the public not matter, but his own party also do not matter. How much power and influence does Dominic Cummings have in this country?

Please, for the sake of this country and the trust of the people, keep questioning why this is happening. Do not “move on” as our PM thinks we are gullible enough to do. Thank you for your integrity when it is lacking in our country’s leader.

Andrea Whisker
Address supplied

Failed leadership

Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and now Boris Johnson. Whilst we may hope that the country’s economic recovery will be U- or V-shaped, the calibre of our leaders is clearly following an L-shaped trajectory.

Ian McBain
Loughton, Essex

Diagnosis

Has the government collectively been self-medicating on hydroxychloroquine as they appear to show the classic results associated with its overuse. Confusion, mental health issues and perhaps they will end up with the heart problems that may end their careers (though they’ll still pretend they are in control). Perhaps they were included in the WHO trial.

Stephen Ryan
Draycott in the Clay

Finger-pointing

With regard to our PM’s injudicious statement to the Commons Liaison Committee regarding the new test and trace programme, “We will rely on the common sense of the public to recognise the seriousness of this.” If we fail to prevent a second wave I know exactly whose common sense will be at fault.

Paul Morrison
Address supplied

Confused strategy, confused talk

The effect of Dominic Cummings’s actions on the government’s ability to manage the coronavirus pandemic is clear from the prime minister’s response to the Liaison Committee regarding the implementation of its test, trace and isolate strategy.

I don’t remember if, when the lockdown was first announced in March, anyone thought it necessary to ask whether the “stay at home” instruction was mandatory or subject to individual judgement; if they had, I am sure the answer would have been much shorter and clearer that the waffle from Boris Johnson yesterday.

Shirley Dickinson
Dorset

Never forget

There has been a discussion of having an autumn bank holiday, given the long gap between summer and Christmas.

Surely the simplest solution is to upgrade the status of Remembrance Sunday to give society a real breather and pause for reflection? This can easily be achieved by legislating to provide for retail closure on Remembrance Sunday like on Easter Sunday.

The peace and decorum inherent in Remembrance Sunday would be enhanced and more working people would be able to partake in the special day.

This move would be logical. When Sunday retail hours were liberalised in 1994, parliament had the presence of mind to ring-fence Easter Sunday but overlooked the other special Sunday namely Remembrance Sunday. Time to correct this omission.

John Barstow​
Pulborough