Macclesfield MP David Rutley has said the Prime Minister's chief advisor Dominic Cummings "should have made a clear apology" for his actions.

The call comes as the scandal rages on about Mr Cummings' journey in late March from his London home to his parent's farm while he and his wife were suffering from coronavirus symptoms.

Mr Rutley said: "In his press conference on Monday 25th May, Mr Cummings explained the decisions he made and the actions he took to protect the welfare of his four-year-old son, given the health-related challenges and security concerns that his family faced."

Mr Cummings has insisted he did not break the lockdown rules by making the 260 miles journey, as he said he was ensuring extended family members could care for his son should he and his wife both fall ill.

Mr Rutley addressed the fact many of his Macclesfield constituents have faced similar dilemma's, saying: "I am also very aware of the major challenges that many local residents have endured, or are continuing to go through while following the Government's rules and guidance in response to the coronavirus pandemic."

He added he was "very grateful for all that people are doing locally to help protect the public health during these unprecedented times" and urged people to continue the fight against the virus.

It was Mr Cummings' 60-mile round trip to the town of Barnard Castle on 12 April to 'test his eyesight' that has caused much of the controversy.

The MP said: "Based on what we know, I believe many local constituents and people across the country would not have taken the same course of actions as Mr Cummings- myself included. I also feel that Mr Cummings should have made a clear apology."

advertisement

Mr Rutley's statement does not make clear whether he supports calls from almost 40 of his party colleagues for Mr Cummings to resign or be sacked by Boris Johnson.

His statement concluded: "You can be assured that I am continuing to raise the concerns of local constituents, as well as my own, with relevant Ministers, so that the strength of local feeling is communicated at the highest level in Government."

As a party whip, whose role is to enforce discipline among his fellow MPs, Mr Rutley's dissent from the government message that Mr Cummings did nothing wrong could be seen as significant.

It comes a day after Douglas Ross MP, a junior minister in the Scotland Office, resigned over the Prime Minister's backing for Mr Cummings.