Boris Johnson’s defence of Dominic Cummings has dominated the front pages of the UK’s media landscape, with newspapers taking varied lines on the prime minister’s decision to excuse his senior aide’s lockdown breaches. The Daily Mail – whose coverage usually backs the prime minister and his government – has taken a particularly strong line against Johnson, simply asking: “What planet are they on?” The Telegraph has stuck closer to its usual pro-Conservative position, quoting Johnson’s defence of his senior aide. The Guardian The Guardian, which revealed Cummings’s lockdown breaches along with the Daily Mirror, leads with “No apology, no explanation”, highlighting the prime minister’s refusal to back down despite public outcry over the aide’s flouting of lockdown rules.
The Daily Mirror The Mirror doesn’t hold back, labelling Cummings “a cheat” while Boris Johnson is marked as “a coward”.
The Daily Mail No holds barred from the Mail either. In a marked departure from its usual line, the paper – usually considered a staunch Tory ally – asks incredulously: “What planet are they on?”, suggesting that the government is out of touch. In a trail of its leader comment piece, the paper actually calls on Johnson to sack his aide. “Dominic Cummings has violated the spirit and letter of the lockdown,” it says. “For the good of the government and the nation, Mr Cummings must resign. Or the prime minister must sack him. No ifs. No buts.”
The Daily Telegraph The Daily Telegraph offers a more supportive headline, quoting Johnson’s words from the daily briefing where he said Cummings acted “responsibly, legally and with integrity”.
The Times The Times echoes the Telegraph in taking a milder line on the debacle, quoting the prime minister’s defence that “Cummings acted like any father”.
The Sun Never one to miss a pun, the Sun has merged two lines from the daily briefing with the headline “Backed to school”, pointing to Johnson’s promise that primary schools in England will reopen in June as well as his support for his chief strategist.
The i The i presents a picture of “Chaos in number 10” following demands from a number of Tory MPs for Cummings’s resignation.
The Daily Express The Daily Express stresses the prime minister’s loyalty to “his man”, calling him “defiant” in the face of calls to sack him.
The Financial Times The FT leads on bailout plans for debt-laden companies, with Cummings and Johnson as the second story.