A number of people have been in contact with me regarding the position of Dominic Cummings and whether or not he should have resigned; some say he should, others say not.
My view remains the same as stated recently in interviews with Radio Humberside and Look North:
I do not know Dominic Cummings, nor have I ever met him. He made several unwise decisions which may have well been avoided had he sought the advice of others at a time when the Prime Minister was himself ill with the virus.
From his statement, it is clear that he did not come into contact with anyone else during his 14 days isolation period after he contracted the virus. Nonetheless, his actions did not display by example the clear message promoted by the Government at that time and he may have committed a minor breach of the lockdown. He should have apologised for what happened.
The Prime Minister has made it clear that he does not think the matter should have resulted in Mr Cumming’s resignation or dismissal and I support the Prime Minister’s position on balance. We are facing perhaps the biggest economic slump since the 1930s and all the energies of government need to be focussed on getting the UK back on its feet whilst keeping Covid-19 under control.
My own priorities are to support Grimsby in this time of crisis and beyond by:
- Being an advocate for our fishing industry so that it is re-energised by gaining control over our fishing waters
- Encouraging investment here in new industries and technology, such as renewable energy and carbon capture in order to create sustainable skilled jobs for the future
- Maximising funding and support opportunities for Great Grimsby such as the ‘Town Deal’
- Linking local charities and voluntary groups with business donors
I want to thank all the people of Grimsby for their individual efforts and sacrifices; I know that some have had to make heart-breaking decisions. Our actions, in taking care of each other, have helped to ensure that we have one of the lowest infection rates in the country. Let’s hope that continues as the lockdown restrictions ease and that we are able to rebuild our local economy quickly.
