Ripon and Skipton MP Julian Smith has said the explosive claims by Dominic Cummings about government mistakes during covid should not be taken too seriously.

Speaking at a North Yorkshire County Council meeting today, Mr Smith said any notions that the former adviser to Boris Johnson was acting as an “objective observer” in his evidence to the government’s health and science committees yesterday was “for the birds”.

Mr Smith said:

“I did not get on particularly well with Mr Cummings in government – in my view, he is not an objective observer

“Having said that, obviously he makes an important point but I agree that this should be in the context of a whole range of other witnesses who have views.

“But the idea that he is objective about this is obviously for the birds.”

During a marathon seven-hour evidence session yesterday, Mr Cummings made a series of allegations about the government’s response to the pandemic and painted a picture of chaos and disarray within Number 10.

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He said thousands of people died needlessly as a result of government mistakes and that the Prime Minister was “unfit for the job”, claiming he had ignored scientific advice and wrongly delayed lockdowns.

He also claimed Matt Hancock should have been fired for lying – something denied by the health secretary.

Mr Cummings said:

“The truth is that senior ministers, senior officials, senior advisers like me fell disastrously short of the standards that the public has a right to expect of its government in a crisis like this.

“I would like to say to all the families of those who died unnecessarily how sorry I am for the mistakes that were made and for my own mistakes at that.”

Mr Smith’s reaction to the revelations followed comments from West Skipton Independent county councillor Andy Salloway, who told today’s North Yorkshire County Council Skipton and Ripon area constituency committee that he believed any evidence about the government’s handling of the virus outbreak should only be heard once it is over.

Cllr Salloway said Mr Cumming’s allegations yesterday were a “complete distraction” from the pressures of the pandemic still at hand.

He said:

“We are still in a pandemic and surely the time to have a review of things is after the pandemic is done, not during it. It is a bit of an insult to all the people who have worked extremely hard to get us through this.”

Boris Johnson previously announced a full public inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic is to be launched in spring 2022 when more officials will be called as witnesses to give evidence.

The inquiry will aim to answer key questions such as why did the pandemic happen, who is to blame and what can be done to prevent it happening again.

The exact aims and remit will be announced closer to the start of the inquiry next year.

Strayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party. 

Gary Verity once bestrode the Yorkshire scene. Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, God’s own county’s tourism promotion body, Verity succeeded in bringing the 2014 Grand Depart of the Tour de France to Leeds. Glorious weather bathed riders in sunshine as they rode through our unmatched scenery, watched by spectators ten and twenty deep.  Such was its success that Verity was knighted for his efforts and the subsequent Tour de Yorkshire became a permanent fixture on our calendar, ensuring an annual pay day for the local economy (although Covid-19’s long shadow has caused its postponement to 2022).

All was not as it seemed.  Behind the scenes, the mercurial Mr Verity was accused of creating a culture of bullying, had to attend behavioural management counselling and eventually left Welcome to Yorkshire on health grounds under the darkest of clouds, facing, among other things, allegations of misuse of funds.  To spend more time with his sheep, no doubt.

In the aftermath, two investigations into the management of the body cost almost £500,000, a financial shock that would have been hard to bear even in good times.  On top of this came Covid-19 and a consequent £1m collapse in the business rate and membership fee income upon which it ordinarily relies.  All of this required the body to ask for a £1.4m bailout from contributing councils across the county.  Harrogate Borough Council is the latest to help, pitching in £31,000  to enable Welcome to Yorkshire to continue to “support tourism in Yorkshire and the Harrogate district at a time when it is needed the most.”

We are blessed to live in this beautiful county and it is important to bring its joys to the world.  Bailing out Welcome to Yorkshire is the right thing to do, but let’s hope that the money from Harrogate and other councils across the ridings (and South Yorkshire) comes with the oversight and governance that public money warrants and which, sadly, was so lacking during Verity’s tenure.  Yorkshire is a brilliant brand, the challenge for Welcome to Yorkshire now is to rebuild its own reputation to match.

Another mercurial bully on his way out this week is Dominic “Barnard Castle” Cummings.  Back in the day Cummings worked as Director of Strategy for Iain Duncan Smith.  His volatility was legend in Conservative Party circles and, during his five months in post he managed to offend almost every member of shadow cabinet.  During his brief tenure he introduced IDS to the plight of those in our inner city sink estates.  His “help the vulnerable” campaign exposed Duncan Smith and the Conservatives to the horrible reality of life for some in Gallowgate and elsewhere in contemporary Britain.  It made a lasting impression on IDS and informed his desire to reform the welfare state while Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.  Now lost in the mists of time we should remember that the reforms were initially welcomed and praised by civic society organisations and even the Labour opposition.

Cummings left the party having told Michael Howard to go forth and multiply during a typically foul mouthed and shouty display around the shadow cabinet table.  Dominic was then and remains a disruptor in the fullest sense of the word.  In fairness, Michael Howard didn’t much like advisors, nor did he in any way agree with those of us who felt that fairness needed to become a central pillar of party policy in the post-Thatcher era.  A point he made crystal clear when he fired me a day or two after becoming leader when IDS was ousted.

Cummings is a formidable campaigner, as his Vote Leave triumph demonstrated.  But he is simply not temperamentally suited to government.  In his time in government (can it only be a year?) he wanted to focus on three things only; getting Brexit done, the levelling up agenda and reforming the civil service.  Like the rest of us he hadn’t bargained on what Harold Macmillan called “events dear boy, events.”  Covid-19 has so consumed affairs of state that winning the Brexit peace, balancing our economy and transforming Whitehall have become secondary.  The pandemic has robbed this government of the time and space it needs to pursue its agenda and, by definition, is so unpredictable that it makes it lays waste to the relevance and longevity of government by slogan.

In my experience many MPs have a pathological need to be loved, or at the very least to feel they are needed.  Warm and cuddly our Dom is not.  Contempt and disdain are more his style.  Given that and the manoeuvring and jealousy inherent in the political game, he is no doubt responsible at least in part for the growing sense of disquiet among parliamentary Conservatives.  Backbench Conservative MP’s are delighted he is going and his scalp may well buy the Prime Minister more time with the restive.  The irony of course is that for at least one faction, Jake Berry’s Northern Research Group, Cummings was the driving intellectual force behind the levelling up agenda in which they believe, and upon which, their parliamentary futures rest.  His departure damages their cause.  Be careful, they say, what you wish for.

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

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This column is written for The Stray Ferret by the Bishop of Ripon, The Right Reverend  Dr Helen-Ann Hartley. The Bishop was in the news recently after she received a death threat over a comment she made about the Prime Minister’s aide, Dominic Cummings, who drove from London to Durham during lockdown.

Following the Prime Minister’s appearance at the COVID_19 daily briefing a few weeks ago, I popped onto Twitter to see what the response was.  ‘Fairly annoyed’ would be a summary of what I saw.  I decided to contribute, and commented on a tweet from someone I know who was very upset at what the Prime Minister had said in defence of a certain official who had made a trip to Durham during the period of what we all thought was total lockdown. “Integrity, trust and leadership were never there; just a driven misguided ideology of power that has total disregard for the most weak and vulnerable, and those who work to protect and care for us for relatively low pay”.

A few moments later, as the comments started to roll in, I tweeted: “My parents live in Durham, an hour away from where we live.  My father finished radiotherapy treatment just before lockdown.  I’ve missed his birthday, Mothering Sunday and countless other catch-ups that would have happened.  And that’s a fraction of a story compared with others”.

What happened next was both brutal and affirming as emails, phone-calls, and then hand-written letters started to pour featuring rather extreme views and threats and heart-rending stories of personal loss and thanks that Church leaders were speaking up.  The reality is that Church leaders speak up quite often about all manner of topics, local, national and global, and this isn’t always noticed.

As much as we are living in ‘unprecedented times’, the conditions of anxiety and lockdown have created an atmosphere that is often toxic and unforgiving.  I didn’t post those tweets lightly, I did so because my own personal story and the stories of so many I have heard in recent weeks has been seriously undermined by the behaviour of individuals who set policies and who I expect would model that in their own lives.

Speaking truth to power is an important aspect of my role as a bishop, and I do that aware of the potential to annoy and even offend.  When I became a bishop in New Zealand over six years ago, my predecessor said to me that leadership was a bit like climbing a mountain: the higher you go the more scenic the views, but the more likely to attract complex weather systems.  How true that is.

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The Bishop of Ripon, the Rt. Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, she says she’s received a call yesterday evening from the city’s MP Julian Smith.

Dr Hartley, told The Stray Ferret that ” it was good of him to be in touch” but did not want to share more details of the conversation.

The call from Mr Smith came at the end of a day which saw the Mayor of Ripon Councillor Eamon Parkin, and two of his mayoral predecessors Councillor Pauline McHardy and Councillor Stuart Martin all united in their condemnation of an email to the Bishop that read, ‘keep out of politics, or it will be the death of you’.

This death threat and similarly-worded threats made to the Bishop of Newcastle Christine Hardman and John Inge, the Bishop of Worcester, have been reported to the police in their respective diocese.

The Bishop, who took over her role in Ripon in 2018, received a number of hateful messages, alongside ones of support, after saying in a tweet that she disagreed with the way in which Prime Minister Boris Johnson had condoned the actions of his key adviser Dominic Cummings, who travelled 260 miles with his wife and young son from London to Durham at the height of the coronavirus lockdown.

Mr Cummings has subsequently come under fire from almost 40 Conservative MPs, who  have found his actions unacceptable and called for him to be dismissed. Among those making that call is Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones.

Following our initial story on Tuesday, the majority of Stray Ferret readers posting on Facebook, said they supported the bishop and her right to speak on the impact that politics has on people’s lives.

Dr Hartley, said:

“I am encouraged by the kind words that I have read and heard.”

Police have been informed after the Bishop of Ripon  and at least two other bishops, received death threats because they commented on twitter about Dominic Cummings’ 260 mile journey with his wife and son to isolate in County Durham at the height of the coronavirus lockdown.

After tweeting, The Rt, Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, said she had received an email, saying: ‘Stay out of politics, or it will be the death of you.’

Dr Hartley told The Stray Ferret:

“I’ve never received a death threat before and it was frightening. I thought about what happened to Jo Cox, and it has made me extra cautious. At least three bishops received similarly-worded emails and all have been reported to the police by our respective dioceses.”

On Sunday, the Prime Minister, said Mr Cummings had acted ‘responsibly, legally and with integrity’  but his defence of his key adviser attracted strong criticism from a number of Church of England bishops, including Dr Hartley, who wrote on twitter:

“Integrity, trust and leadership were never there; just a misguided ideology of power that has total disregard for the most weak and vulnerable and those who work to protect and care for us with relatively low pay.”

Dr Hartley, who became Bishop of Ripon in 2018, pointed out:

“After my initial tweet, I have never known an inbox like it with the hateful things said, but fortunately, the supportive and kind messages I received outnumbered the unpleasant ones. I would just ask the person or persons who made the threats to reflect upon what they have done and consider the impact of their actions.”

Like Mr Cummings, the bishop’s parents live in Durham, but she has not seen them for ten weeks, because she followed the government’s lockdown instructions. In twitter exchanges she said:

“My father finished radiotherapy treatment just before lockdown. I’ve missed his birthday, Mothering Sunday and countless other catch-ups that would have happened. And that’s a fraction of a story compared with others.”

Dr Hartley believes that the Church does have a role in commenting on politics and its impact upon society.

Skipton and Ripon MP, Julian Smith, has not as yet stated publicly if he believes that Mr Cummings should resign, be dismissed or stay in post.

A majority of residents in the Harrogate district have said they are “appalled” and “furious” at the behaviour of the Prime Minister’s chief adviser who made a 500 mile round trip to County Durham during lockdown to isolate.

Across social media and e-mails to The Stray Ferret, people have been reacting to the news. Though most objected to the adviser’s behaviour, some have defended Dominic Cummings’ actions and said those who want him to resign are doing so for political reasons.

Mr Cummings found himself in the middle of a political storm over the Bank Holiday Weekend over his decision, but he said he believed he acted reasonably and did not regret it.

Harrogate MP, Andrew Jones, has reportedly joined other backbenchers and called for Mr Cummings to resign, but there is still no word on whether Ripon MP, Julian Smith, has joined the call.

Neither MP has responded to The Stray Ferret’s request for a comment.

Harrogate MP, Andrew Jones, has reportedly called for Mr Cummings to step down. But Julian Smith, MP for Ripon, has yet to comment.

On social media, the majority of comments from the district’s residents revealed they were unimpressed with Mr Cummings and some have e-mailed their local MP to voice their concerns.

Racheal Bowen said on Facebook: “I am furious and emailed Andrew Jones yesterday to voice my opinion. Stay home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives. Unless you are Dominic Cummings and then just do what you want and the NHS will pick up the pieces. Disgraceful behaviour from Cummings and all those in government who are supporting him.”

Susan Halliday said: “I am appalled at his arrogance. I have not seen my seven grandchildren for eight weeks and have followed the rules to the letter but now I’m not sure if I’ll pop and see them all and not feel guilty. I’m thinking the rest of the country may feel the same.”

No doubt Cummings should go. Don’t care if he resigns or is sacked, just as long as he goes.

— Marc Smith (@marcxsmith) May 25, 2020

But some have criticised the response to the story and said those who want Mr Cummings to step down are politically motivated.

Sue Stott said on Facebook: “I find it hard to comprehend the levels of hate that so-called respectable people are showing for this man & his family. What is this country turning into when all we can do is criticise and harass others.”

Cheryl Allan said: “I couldn’t care less. There are loads of people who have been out meeting other people and no one gives a damn. But if you’re in the public eye everyone goes mad about it.”

Most people wanting Cummings to be sacked are doing it for political reasons. #Gameplay

— Harrogate Stuff (@harrogate_stuff) May 25, 2020