Coronavirus in Wales: Councils counting cost of pandemic - BBC News
Updates on coronavirus in Wales from Tuesday 26 May.
A Welsh council’s Conservative group leader has said there are “more important issues” than Dominic Cummings’ trip to Durham during lockdown – but his fellow Tory councillors have voiced different opinions on the issue.

The prime minister’s chief adviser has said he does not regret the 260-mile journey from London and that he had acted reasonably.

But critics say the trip broke lockdown rules and have called for him to resign.

Newport council’s Tory group leader, Councillor Matthew Evans, refused to be drawn on whether or not he backed Mr Cummings, adding he is “sick and tired of the whole thing”.

“I have not defended him and I have not criticised him,” he said.

“People locally have bigger concerns about their jobs and prospects and when they will be able to see their friends and family again.”

But Caerleon councillor Joan Watkins said Mr Cummings was right to put family first.

“He is a father first and stand in that man’s shoes before you make judgements,” she said.

Allt-yr-yn councillor Charles Ferris also backed Mr Cummings, saying he had given “a plausible explanation” about the trip.

But he conceded that the issue does risk undermining the UK government’s lockdown rules.

“It does tend to undermine what we do,” he said.

“But he wanted to protect his kids first and I think his instincts overrode that.”

Graig councillor David Williams conceded that on reflection Mr Cummings might not have made “the best of decisions” – but he added that, as a parent, he “might have done the same thing".

Dominic Cummings has said he behaved reasonably despite criticism of his trip to Durham Image caption: Dominic Cummings has said he behaved reasonably despite criticism of his trip to Durham