WINCHESTER'S MP has responded the actions of Dominic Cummings – and is not against the idea of him resigning.

Mr Cummings, chief advisor to Boris Johnson, said he acted reasonably and legally after driving 260 miles from his home to Durham during lockdown.

But Steve Brine MP has said the situation is causing a distraction "at a time of national crisis".

He told the Chronicle: "At the weekend I robustly raised my concerns at Mr Cumming’s behaviour in the most appropriate – and I believe effective way – with the Government Chief Whip. As I said to him, having watched the press conference, my concern moving forward is the distraction this is causing at a time of national crisis and the way it is undermining confidence in the public health message.

"When the advisor becomes the story it is not, in my experience, a sustainable position and sooner or later something has to give. It’s quite simple, either we as a country decide to move on and put 100 per cent of our energies back into beating this virus or Mr Cummings has to go.

"For my part (as a former Public Health Minister) in a painfully difficult time when the Government is trying to safely ease the necessary restrictions on our lives, Ministers need to retain public trust so this is unhelpful to put it mildly.

"Furthermore, when the UK has north of 36,000 deaths from this awful pandemic, it’s a distraction for Ministers – and proper scrutiny from the media on track and trace, vaccine, care homes etc – which I would think this country can ill afford right now.

"Public adherence to the rules is achieved by consent in this country and that is made much harder if people feel, no matter that these events were some time ago, it’s one rule for them and another for senior Government advisors."

Flick Drummond, MP for the Meon Valley, has publicly backed Mr Cummings on Twitter.

She posted: "Now I have listened to Dominic Cumming’s explanation, it is clear that he was thinking of his child’s welfare and wife’s health and felt it was exception circumstances as outlined in the guidance. It is time to move on and get the country back to work."

The post has since received more than 120 replies. Almost all disagree with her.

One person said: "Flick, you represent me and this is not what your constituents think. No one does.

"I don't like a Twitter pile on so I'd ask you politely but very, very firmly to retract this message of support. You must know that this obliterates any credibility or integrity you might have had."