Cummings is now a laughing stock. Alas, so is Britain

The guru of Brexit and the 2019 election has been exposed. But the economic and social damage is well and truly done

My father, who was of Irish extraction but hailed from County Durham, used to say: never kick a man when he is down. After the shambles of Mr Dominic Cummings's recent excursion to Durham, one might be tempted to make an exception to the rule. But there is no need. The prime minister's once-valued adviser has been kicking himself - but not in the colloquial sense of expressing regret for his actions.

Deeper and deeper he dug himself in, as one terminological inexactitude led to another, and the rule-breaker failed lamentably to justify breaking government lockdown instructions for which he was at least in part responsible.

Although economically damaging, the lockdown was socially necessary. Britain was not alone