LABOUR has demanded Dominic Cummings “produce the evidence” to prove he did not make a second trip to the north east during the coronavirus lockdown.
Deputy leader Angela Rayner called on the PM to “set the record straight” about his top aide after a witness said she saw him on the morning of April 19.
Clare Edwards, 59, said she is “100% certain” she saw Boris Johnson ‘s chief adviser while walking in Houghall Woods near Durham – six days after he returned to London from Durham.
Clare and husband Dave have complained to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, accusing Durham police of not properly investigating their allegations about Mr Cummings.
Four witnesses say they saw Mr Cummings in the area on the morning of April 19.
Mr Cummings has described accusations that he made a second lockdown trip to the North East as “false”.
In his Downing Street garden press conference, Mr Cummings told reporters: “There is a particular report that I returned there on April 19th.
“Photos and data on my phone prove this to be false. And local CCTV, if it exists, would also prove that I’m telling the truth that I was in London on that day. I was not in Durham.”
Ms Rayner said today: “The Dominic Cummings saga has already done incredible damage to public trust.
“The public are rightly angry that there is one rule for the Prime Minister’s chief adviser and one for the rest of us.
“Dominic Cummings has said that there are photos and data proving that he is was in London on April 19, and the Prime Minister has said that he has seen this evidence.
“It is surely therefore only right that this evidence is produced.
“If Dominic Cummings was in London during both the morning and afternoon of the 19th April, and not in Durham as has been alleged, I’m sure that he the Prime Minister will welcome this opportunity to set the record straight.”
Former North West prosecutor Nazir Afzal, whose brother died of coronavirus, has launched his own appeal for evidence after accusing the police forces who investigated the case of ”closing ranks”.
He said today: “Mr Cummings stated that he was not in Durham at any time on the 19th. He and these witnesses cannot both be right.
“The failure of the police to investigate remains very disappointing given the public interest and concern.”
The Tory adviser drove 260 miles with his wife, who had Covid-19 symptoms, and son to self-isolate at his parents’ home on March 27 at the height of the lockdown.
Clare and husband Dave are among three new witnesses who allege they saw Mr Cummings at the beauty spot on April 19.
Urging Mr Cummings to release his evidence, she added: “It would be great to see if he could produce anything. I just want the truth to be out there.”
Earlier this year, Mr Johnson was challenged by MP Meg Hillier on the Commons Liaison Committee over whether he had seen the evidence to back up what Mr Cummings said.
He replied “if it pleases you I will say yes, I did”, but refused to comment in further detail.
The PM claimed “a lot of the allegations turned out to be false”.
A No10 spokesman said yesterday: “Durham Constabulary have made clear they are not taking any further action against Mr Cummings and that by locating himself at his father’s premises he did not breach the regulations.
“The Prime Minister has said he believes Mr Cummings behaved reasonably and he considers the matter closed.”
Durham Constabulary said: “As outlined in our statement of May 28, [we] carried out an investigation into this matter led by a senior detective and found insufficient evidence to support the allegation.
What new Dominic Cummings allegations mean and why they matter
Couple who claim they saw Dominic Cummings on second trip complain to watchdog
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