A SCOTS professor who sits on the UK Government's advisory group on behavioural science has said the "debacle" over Dominic Cummings has "fatally undermined" efforts to fight coronavirus.
Stephen Reicher, a professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews, says the failure to condemn the PM’s top adviser for breaking lockdown rules will cost lives.
He told Good Morning Britain: "If you look at the research it shows the reason why people observed lockdown was not for themselves, it wasn't because they were personally at risk, they did it for the community, they did it because of a sense of 'we're all in this together'.
"If you give the impression there's one rule for them and one rule for us you fatally undermine that sense of 'we're all in this together' and you undermine adherence to the forms of behaviour which have got us through this crisis."
Reicher added: "The real issue here is that because of these actions, because of undermining trust in the Government, because of undermining adherence to the rules that we all need to follow, people are going to die.
"More people are going to die."
The professor also went viral on social media as he reacted to the Prime Minister's defence of Cummings last night, issuing a stinging rebuke to Number 10.
As one of those involved in SPI-B, the Government advisory group on behavioural science, I can say that in a few short minutes tonight, Boris Johnson has trashed all the advice we have given on how to build trust and secure adherence to the measures necessary to control COVID-19.
— Stephen Reicher (@ReicherStephen) May 24, 2020
READ MORE: PM faces public outrage after backing Dominic Cummings
Boris Johnson is facing a momentous backlash after he claimed his chief aide “acted responsibly, legally and with integrity” despite driving more than 250 miles at the start of the restrictions to be near family.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said it is his "understanding" from the Prime Minister that Cummings and his family did not break the law in their trip to Durham.
He told BBC Breakfast: "[Johnson] has been absolutely categorically assured that both Dominic Cummings and his family both followed the guidance and also followed the rules...
"The guidance is incredibly extensive and at the heart of that guidance is always the issue of safeguarding children and making sure that children are always absolutely protected.
"My understanding is from what the Prime Minister said yesterday ... is that at every stage Dominic Cummings followed and his family followed the guidance and at no stage did Dominic Cummings or his family break the law."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel