Forum Topic

The Hypocrisy Of Journalists

Sick of all the journalists who are foaming at the mouth and screaming about Cummings 'breaking the rules'. What about them constantly breaking the social distancing rules?  At every opportunity they cluster around Cummings' front door waiting to pounce, trying to shove a microphone in his face and then chasing him to his car. This behaviour is not exclusive to DC, they do the same to many other politicians (and celebrities) but nobody is taking them to task or fining them. Why not? These journalists are a far greater risk of spreading the virus than Cummings was. The hypocrisy is sickening.

Sue Hammond ● 2146d36 Comments

Mr PayneWhere did you get the info that the Cummings boy is autistic ?Cummings did not use that in his own defence.

John Hawkes ● 2144d

'I didn't get hysterical when Stephen Kinnock drove from Wales to London to visit his parents (was it for a birthday)? I didn't squawk when Dr Catherine Caulderwood drove for over an hour to her second home twice, or even when Neil Ferguson hooked up with his married lover twice in a week for nookie'.But Ms Hammond we all know how balanced and rational you are in your politics.The difference is that Cummings is the man with his arm up Johnson's back and pulling his strings (to mix metaphors) and so is setting Government policy which we were instructed to obey but he was given discretion to obey or not as he felt fit.One law for the plebs and one for the political elite.

John Hawkes ● 2144d

Yes Michael they did resign but I didn't think what they did warranted them losing their jobs, but it was their choice.

Sue Hammond ● 2145d

Sue. Ferguson and Caulderwood quelled the fuss by resigning reasonably promptly., very promptly in Ferguson's case. I'm not sure why Kinnock wasn't pressed on this, perhaps he's not antagonised so many colleagues and journalists? Of course, the only people who could sack Kinnock (or other MPs) are his constituency voters. Cummings like the other advisers is not subject to such public scrutiny. 

Michael Ixer ● 2145d

Barbara. Apparently service areas on motorways are not closed. I can't personally vouch for the accuracy of this as I've been folloiweing the regulations and guidance, and have had no reasonableneed to make any long journeys ...https://motorwayservicesonline.co.uk/Coronavirus

Michael Ixer ● 2145d

Honestly Andy I couldn't care less.  I didn't get hysterical when Stephen Kinnock drove from Wales to London to visit his parents (was it for a birthday)? I didn't squawk when Dr Catherine Caulderwood drove for over an hour to her second home twice, or even when Neil Ferguson hooked up with his married lover twice in a week for nookie.  There was no forum outrage and no trial by Twitter over any of these rule breakers.

Sue Hammond ● 2145d

So you’re on Cummings’ side? I can tell you that public opinion is definitely not.

Freddie Francis ● 2145d

There are a few people ( not all )  on the forum today who have completely lost all sense of reason and balance whatsoever.  Witchfinder General/s come to mind

Barbara Shillabeer ● 2145d

At the risk of being advised in no uncertain terms as to what I should do with my posterior, as is normally the case when I comment on anything related to this person’s opinions, I will wish you good luck in getting that reply 😏

Freddie Francis ● 2145d

@David  I thought all toilet facilities were closed and any  long distance driver would arm himself with refreshments both for himself and passengers

Barbara Shillabeer ● 2145d

SueAsk yourself what your reaction would have been if it had been one of Khans advisors that had done this .... honestly now.

Andy Pike ● 2145d

Maybe they did David, and possibly infected 100's of others.  And possibly they in turn infected 100's more.  And so on ...So possibly 3 people isolated in a car isn't such a heinous crime after all?

Sue Hammond ● 2145d

I could understand it if he kept it quiet while he was self-isolating, but to keep the Northern nature of it quiet ever since, even when he and his wife wrote about it, seems a tad evasive. --------------------------------Oh what a tangled web we weaveWhen first we practice to deceive. - Sir Walter Scott (Marmion, 1808)

David Ainsworth ● 2145d

"hoards of prying journalists outside his door 24/7."Perhaps the journalist hordes gave it to Cummings in the first place? Mind you, he lives in Islington, so it might have been Corbyn who did it.

David Ainsworth ● 2145d

Be ye never so high, the law is above you.Perhaps not if you're Boris Johnson

Elizabeth Balsom ● 2145d

Cummings has brought this all on himself.

Lucille Grant ● 2145d

He wasn't unwell at that point Andy but had some symptoms.  It was the fear of becoming very unwell at the same time as his wife that made him decide to make the journey.  He knew they could self-isolate in peace without hoards of prying journalists outside his door 24/7.

Sue Hammond ● 2145d

"I'd be amazed if he did that trip whilst unwell without having to stop at motorway services."He must have been unwell, else how could he have resisted the spell of those steak and kidney pies? (Obviously he'd need PPE).

David Ainsworth ● 2145d

I'd be amazed if he did that trip whilst unwell without having to stop at motorway services. Additionally fortunate that his car was suitably fuelled in advance of falling ill.

Andy Pike ● 2145d

"Well I'm surprised that you all have such weak bladders!!" I suppose that it depends on how fast Cummings was going, and thus how long the escape trip took. Maybe, if they took bottles of water with them, they need not have stopped for a cuppa, and then they could have refilled the empty bottles, and discarded them out of the window, towards some feckless peasant and no-account."My understanding is that Cummings child is autistic and has special needs, hence getting near the parents.  It doesn't look good, but I don't think he broke any rules."I believe that patricide and matricide, and indeed fratricide, is still frowned upon in some parts. Maybe Cummings' thinktank is examining the law on this, who knows? We boomers are tending to hang on a bit and prevent the necessary flow of capital between the generations.

David Ainsworth ● 2145d

Bunny, Rule 91 of the Highway Çode: plan your journey to take sufficient breaks. A minimum break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving is recommended. Hence they should have made at least one break unless he was prepared to risk the safety of his family, but as Johnson has told us what a good father Cummings is then I'm sure he must have stopped for a break. I'm not sure I know many families with a young child who've make a 200 mile trip without a "comfort break" if only to get away from Postman Pat songs or whatever the current craze is 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 2145d

Well I'm surprised that you all have such weak bladders!!  My understanding is that Cummings child is autistic and has special needs, hence getting near the parents.  It doesn't look good, but I don't think he broke any rules.

Bunny Payne ● 2145d

Sue, do you regard the thousands of parents who found themselves in similar situations and stayed at home to be bad parents?

Craig Fordham ● 2145d

"If Cummings had stopped at motorway services along the route I am sure he would have been recognised because his appearance is very distinctive, wouldn't you agree?"Yes, apparently people did see him on other dates in the Durham area but allegedly they recognised him wrong, because he is not distinctive enough. Still nobody needed to see his face if they just shared a toilet door handle or tap with him or his wife or child, did they? I certainly try not to stare at men in toilets."Getting food wasn't the issue".You brought it up. "Ensuring there would be emergency childcare for his son was." Unavailable in London?

David Ainsworth ● 2145d

Ms Hammond'If Cummings had stopped at motorway services along the route I am sure he would have been recognised because his appearance is very distinctive, wouldn't you agree'?So there is no doubt about the veracity of the claim made that he was seen at Barnard Castle and hence NOT isolating in his second home.

John Hawkes ● 2145d

@DavidIf Cummings had stopped at motorway services along the route I am sure he would have been recognised because his appearance is very distinctive, wouldn't you agree?  To go incognito just isn't his style. Why hasn't anybody contacted the newspapers to claim they saw him and have their 15 minutes of fame?  Getting food wasn't the issue. Ensuring there would be emergency childcare for his son was.

Sue Hammond ● 2145d

If I was in the same situation I would have done the same thing Lucille. The safety of my child would be paramount to the lockdown guidelines.  You are a mother and I'm surprised you just don't get it.

Sue Hammond ● 2145d

Ms HammondI hope you do not think this an indelicate question, but I wonder how many of us could have taken a 200 mile car trip - man, woman and 4 year old child - without pulling up at a service station in order for at least one to use the toilet facilities ?Could you ?Perhaps you could as you might take one of your quack medicines like Wind-Eze.Most others I would suggest could not.This in turn indicates that the Cummings family were not hermetically sealed for 4-5 (?) hours but mixed with other members of the public and potentially passed on the virus being carried by Mrs C.But never mind.If she did,  were the recipient be confined to hospital their relatives will at least be able to wave a bent British banana, courtesy of Mr C,  at them from behind the glass screen should they recover later.

John Hawkes ● 2145d

"Cummings didn't drive 100's of miles to carry the virus".Cummings didn't drive 100's of miles without having a widdle, either. Nor a cuppa, at a guess."They self isolated in a property nearby and his sister bought food and left it outside for them."Couldn't Cummings have got on Ocado's list, back in London? Why else be an éminence grise?

David Ainsworth ● 2145d

Cummings broke the lockdown rules he helped to instigate. Whether he spread the virus or not is a mute point. Why should we all stick to lockdown rules when he blatantly doesn't? (Rhetorical question)

Lucille Grant ● 2145d

Not really defending the journalists' behaviour. Doubtless from the same media which helped destroy Corbyn. I have though some sympathy with the quote from Churchill when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union:-“If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.”or"My enemy's enemy is my friend"

David Ainsworth ● 2145d

Cummings didn't drive 100's of miles to carry the virus.  He, together with his wife and child, drove straight to his parents house. They self isolated in a property nearby and his sister bought food and left it outside for them. How is that spreading the virus? The mobs of journalists almost certainly are.

Sue Hammond ● 2145d

Two wrongs don’t make a right.  The journalists pictured were behaving irresponsibly.  The cheap stunt of parking the van outside Cummings’ house was equally stupid.

Craig Fordham ● 2145d

"Perhaps Ms Hammond, these journalists like Cummings do not believe the rules apply to them."And, unlike the Cummings famille, the journos are not knowingly carrying the plague virus hundreds of miles.

David Ainsworth ● 2145d

Perhaps Ms Hammond, these journalists like Cummings do not believe the rules apply to them.'Do as I say not do as I do' !

John Hawkes ● 2145d

Yes, Sue, that doesn't look sensible. To be honest, I think the police are probably fed up with the whole thing. They have to enforce rules where the guidance doesn't match the law and this current episode isn't going to help them. If Cummings had apologised and resigned (along the lines of I'm sorry, I acted in what I thought was the best interests of my family at the time but recognise, even though within the letter of the law, it was a bad decision made when my wife and I were unwell and worried .... I feel I should go so as not to undermine the government's achievements) things would have quietened down and Johnson could have reengaged him quietly in a few weeks time. Now it's turned into a major distraction, potentially undermined the government's lockdown strategy and left a significant number of Johnson's supporters now distrusting him (not that I should worry about the laser one).

Michael Ixer ● 2145d