As the commentariat runs out of any new ammunition to fire at Cummings, it is worth reflecting on some of the inaccuracies in the original stories run jointly by the Mirror and Guardian on Friday, many of which have subsequently been proven demonstrably false. They might want you to forget some of these…
❌Claim: “Dominic Cummings visited parents’ home while he had symptoms.” BBC, May 22.
✅Fact: Cummings did not enter his parents’ house, nor come into contact with his parents: “At this farm, my parents live in one house. My sister and her two children live in another house, and there was a separate cottage roughly 50 metres away from either of them.” The Independent, May 26.
❌Claim: “Boris Johnson’s top aide Dominic Cummings was investigated by police”. Mirror, May 22.
✅Fact: At the time of the first articles, Cummings was not under investigation by the police. In fact Durham police, under media pressure, only began an investigation into Cummings last night.
❌Claim: “Police confirmed they had visited an individual at an address in the city who they had learned had travelled to Durham from London during the lockdown to self-isolate.” The Mirror, May 22.
✅Fact: The police did not visit Cummings or his father. All communication was via phone
❌Claim: “In line with national policing guidance, officers explained to the family the guidelines around self-isolation and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel.” The Guardian, May 22.
✅Fact: Three days later, Durham Police clarified they offered “no specific advice” on Coronavirus lockdown, instead they offered “security advice”
❌Claim: Cummings broke lockdown again for a second trip to visit parents; “by April 19 he was back in Durham.” The Sunday Mirror, 23.
✅Fact: No proof at the time, no proof emerged since. Cummings Rose Garden conference argues mobile phone date proves he was in London at the time and did not return to Durham. Funny how the Mirror haven’t since brought up this second ‘exclusive’…
Given it is open, under Clause 1 (Accuracy) of the IPSO Code, to any newspaper reader to bring complaints to IPSO about the accuracy of stories, it is inevitable that the Mirror will be forced by IPSO to publish corrections. In particular the Mirror will have to withdraw their false claim about a second visit in due course. Over to you co-conspirators…