Dominic Cummings’ father contacted police in Durham “not the other way round”, the UK transport secretary has said.
Speaking on Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday about reports that the force spoke with Mr Cummings’ family members about his lockdown trip from London, Mr Shapps said the “police were actually advising about some security matters”.
“I think in fact it was Mr Cummings’ father who contacted the police and not the other way round, and actually it was in reference to some security advice, which the family don’t want to go into, not about this specific issue,” he said.
Mr Shapps was asked whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson knew where his chief aide was at the time.
He said that Mr Johnson “during the same period was pretty ill […] so I don’t think this would have been high on the prime minister’s agenda”.
Mr Shapps added: “I don’t know whether the prime minister tracks every move of Dominic Cummings.
“I think he knew that Dominic Cummings was ill and was self-isolating.”
