The United Kingdom Cabinet Office says it is investigating an “unauthorised” tweet sent from the official Public Service Twitter account that branded the Government “arrogant and offensive”.
The move came as the row over the Prime Minister’s Chief Adviser, Dominic Cummings’ (pictured) apparent breach of COVID-19 lockdown rules intensified.
The short-lived tweet was sent out after Prime Minister, Boris Johnson defended Mr Cummings from criticism.
It was removed shortly after being posted, but not before racking up more than 30,000 ‘likes’ and being archived for posterity.
Mr Cummings admitted making a more than 400-kilometre family trip to his parents’ property in Durham while he and his wife had COVID-19.
He said he had travelled to ensure there was childcare for his young son.
A scientist advising the Government on its response to the Coronavirus crisis said Mr Johnson’s defence of Mr Cummings threatened to undermine measures intended to prevent the infection from spreading.
Meanwhile, a Public Servant writing in a Scottish newspaper said Mr Johnson’s failure to sack Mr Cummings undermined the rule of law and the Civil Service Code of Conduct.
The Government official, whose name was withheld to protect his job, said “the perception of double standards was now uncontained” and any junior Public Servant who had acted like Mr Cummings would be placed under investigation.
The official described the episode “as a turning point for standards in public life” as he called for Ministers to resign.
“Enough. Can someone in the UK Government show some integrity and stop defending the indefensible?” the Public Servant said.
Mr Cummings has denied breaching lockdown laws.
London, 30 May 2020