Durham police to investigate Dominic Cummings

Durham police have been asked to start an investigation into Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings by the county's police and crime commissioner.

Steve White asked the force to investigate all claims about Cumming’s time in the Durham area during the coronavirus lockdown after the adviser and his family had travelled 260 miles from London in late March to visit his parents in a breach of rules.

The investigation will look at all the claims about Cummings’s time in Durham. That includes an alleged sighting of him in Barnard Castle, some distance away from his parents’ home.

In a statement issued on Saturday evening, Durham police said: “On Tuesday, March 31, our officers were made aware that Dominic Cummings had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city.

“At the request of Mr Cummings’ father, an officer made contact the following morning by telephone.

“During that conversation, Mr Cummings’ father confirmed that his son had travelled with his family from London to the north-east and was self-isolating in part of the property.”