Douglas Ross quits Government job in Cummings scandal
Last updated 26th May 2020
A Scottish junior minister in the UK Government is resigning in protest at Dominic Cummings' alleged lockdown breaches.
Douglas Ross, the under secretary of state for Scotland, said he was quitting after hearing Mr Cummings' efforts to defend his trip from London to Durham.
The Moray MP said he could not "in good faith'' tell his constituents who could not care for sick relatives or say goodbye to dying ones while obeying lockdown rules that Mr Cummings acted appropriately.
The first resignation over the allegations rocking the Government came as Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove sought to defend his longstanding ally.
Mr Ross said that "while the intentions may have been well meaning'', Mr Cummings' interpretation of the rules was "not shared by the vast majority of people''.
"I have constituents who didn't get to say goodbye to loved ones; families who could not mourn together; people who didn't visit sick relatives because they followed the guidance of the Government,'' the Tory MP for Moray wrote.
"I cannot in good faith tell them they were all wrong and one senior adviser to the Government was right.''
Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said in a statement: “I accept Douglas’ position and respect the decision he has come to.
“This is a difficult situation for many, and people will arrive at different judgements.
“Douglas will be a huge loss to government and I thank him for all he’s done at the Scotland Office.
“I am in no doubt that he will continue to serve his Moray constituents with diligence and commitment, as he has done since first being elected.”
The Scottish National Party's Westminster leader Ian Blackford tweeted: "This will have been a difficult decision to make and I respect Douglas Ross for taking it. This issue transcends politics. It is about protecting trust and confidence in the public health advice. The Prime Minister must remove Dominic Cummings from his post without further delay.''
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