No10 chief Dominic Cummings ‘intervened at SAGE meeting to push for experts to back lockdown’
- Dominic Cummings ‘was more than a bystander at a meeting of SAGE experts’
- Claims the PM’s top aide pushed scientists to back imposing lockdown sooner
- No10 has hit back at claims and said all advice provided by SAGE is impartial
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Dominic Cummings arrives in Downing Street this morning
Dominic Cummings played ‘more than a bystander’s role’ at a meeting of the government’s scientific experts and pushed for lockdown to be imposed sooner, it was claimed today.
The Prime Minister’s top aide has been at the centre of a political storm after it emerged last week he had attended meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies which provides the government with advice on which decisions are then made.
Downing Street confirmed Mr Cummings had listened in on meetings and ‘occasionally’ asked questions.
But it was alleged today that Mr Cummings ‘clearly wasn’t an observer’ during coronavirus meetings and that he had played a role in shaping the discussion of the government’s advisers.
However, Number 10 has hit back at the claims and said it is ‘completely wrong to imply’ that scientists’ advice ‘is in any way not impartial’.
Throughout the coronavirus crisis the government has insisted all of its decisions have been based on the independent advice provided by SAGE.
But Mr Cummings’ involvement in the group’s meetings has been seized on by critics who are now questioning how independent and impartial the advice given to ministers is.
It was claimed today that the PM’s top aide ‘wasn’t an observer’ at a meeting of the government’s scientific experts
Bloomberg today reported Mr Cummings had played ‘more than a bystander’s role’ at a meeting of SAGE On March 18 when social distancing measures were being discussed.
Two separate sources familiar with the meeting said Mr Cummings had pressed for lockdown measures to be introduced more quickly.
He allegedly asked scientists why lockdown was not being imposed sooner and steered the discussion in favour of faster action.
He also reportedly made clear he believed pubs and restaurants should close – something which did then happen.
The two people spoken to by Bloomberg said Mr Cummings’ actions went beyond just asking questions, with one adding: ‘He clearly wasn’t an observer.’
Number 10 rejected the suggestion that Mr Cummings had influenced the advice given by SAGE.
The PM’s official spokesman said: ‘SAGE provide independent scientific advice to government. No political advisers influence this advice.
‘The scientists who contribute to SAGE are among the most eminent in their fields. It is completely wrong to imply their advice is in any way not impartial.’
The Guardian revealed on Friday that Mr Cummings had attended SAGE meetings.
But a Number 10 spokesman said at the time ‘it is not true’ to say Mr Cummings was ‘on’ or a member of the group.
Number 10 said he attended some Sage meetings to listen to proceedings in order to ‘understand better the scientific debate concerning this emergency’.
Some experts have suggested Mr Cummings’ role in the meetings could taint the advice SAGE has given to ministers so far.
But others have rubbished such suggestions, insisting scientists would not be influenced by political advisers.
The government is under growing pressure to make the running of SAGE more transparent.
Currently the membership of the group is kept secret, minutes of recent meetings have not been published and neither has the latest evidence on which recommendations have been made.