WARRINGTON South MP Andy Carter says he believes people must draw a line under the Dominic Cummings controversy and ‘move on’.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s chief adviser said he did not regret driving 260 miles from London during the coronavirus lockdown in a rare public statement earlier today, Monday.

Mr Cummings also revealed he had not told Mr Johnson when he decided to take his family to County Durham after his wife developed Covid-19 symptoms. He developed symptoms himself shortly after.

He said he believed his actions were reasonable and that he has not considered resigning over the issue but acknowledged that, in retrospect, he should have made a public statement earlier.

It comes amid growing pressure and anger – including from some Conservative MPs – after Mr Johnson continued to back his adviser.

But Mr Carter has not added his name to the list of Tory MPs calling for Mr Cummings to go.

In a lengthy statement posted on Facebook, Mr Carter said he is very grateful to everyone who has contacted him over the last 48 hours with their views on the issue, adding that ‘we must draw a line under this episode and move on’.

"I’ve spent time today raising these concerns with Government and asking for an explanation,” he said.

“It’s disappointing that this afternoon’s statement from Mr Cummings didn’t take place 48 hours ago.

“Like many, I’ve been pretty annoyed about the whole thing, indeed we could have avoided a lot of speculation, upset and concern were things handled differently.

“I want to be very clear; I believe people should follow the rules of the lockdown, as the overwhelming majority of people in Warrington have done for the last 10 weeks.

“The rules are there for our collective benefit at an unprecedented time.

"I’ve spoken to hundreds of people over the last few weeks and I recognise the immense sacrifice and stress they have imposed on all of us, and all our families.

“Having listened to Mr Cummings’ statement, we now know why he took the decisions he did.

“Were I in his position, I may not have made the same decisions, but he has clearly done so in the interests of his family and those around him.

“Many people have also been in touch to share their anger at the way the press were flouting the social distancing rules outside Mr Cumming’s home yesterday.

“It gives a little insight into the world in which people in the media eye have to live, it perhaps gives some context to the decisions he took.

“I want the Government to focus on tackling the virus and getting our economy back up and running.

“My efforts are focused on continuing to help those in Warrington South who need support.

“We must draw a line under this episode and move on.”

Earlier, Liberal Democrat Cllr Ryan Bate wrote to Mr Carter asking him to join those who are ‘demanding’ that Mr Cummings should resign or be sacked.

Cllr Bate said many people in Warrington are angry with the ‘irresponsible and hypocritical behaviour’ of the adviser.

Labour’s Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols said the matter has resulted in the largest volume of e-mails she has received on a single issue since becoming an MP, each with ‘their own stories of heartbreaking sacrifices their families have made’.

“The anger and hurt Cummings' actions and Johnson's defence of them has caused is palpable,” she tweeted.

“Some of his justifications are just laughable and taking us for idiots.”

Labour’s former Warrington South MP Faisal Rashid, who lost his seat to Mr Carter, also shared his views.

He said: “We cannot afford in our democracy to let this Government get away with making one rule for some and one for rest of us.”