Beijings new security laws. And Dorset Village where they have discovered a new neighbourliness. Good evening. The Prime Minister has staunchly defended his top advisor, Dominic Cummings, after it emerged hed driven more than 250 miles from his london home to county durham, following the governments introduction of its coronavirus lockdown. Borisjohnson said mr cummings had followed the instincts of every parent and acted with integrity in seeking childcare with family members after his wife had developed symptoms of the virus. The Prime Minister was responding to growing pressure from within the conservative party and beyond for his advisor to step down. It comes as 118 more deaths were announced in the past 2a hours. Thats the lowest figure since the lockdown began, though theres usually a lag in recording deaths at the weekend. That brings the total number of people whove died in the uk to 36,793. Heres our political correspondent, iain watson. Why did you not stay in your primary residence, mr cummings, as the government guidelines stated . Dominic cummingss family travelled 250 miles away from the family home to durham when his wife already had coronavirus symptoms, citing childcare. The Prime Minister held him close and face down calls for him close and face down calls for him to go. Mind your fingers. I think he followed the instincts of every father and every parent, and i do not mark him down for that. I believe that in every respect he has acted responsibly and legally and with integrity. Conservative mps have got in touch with us today, Prime Minister, because they say lots of their constituents are angry. They feel that allowing somebody who was already ill to travel 250 miles across the country breaches at least the spirit of your guidance. Hand on heart, can you really say this didnt breach the spirit of your guidance . What i can tell you is that i think when you look at the guidance, when you look at the particular childcare needs that mrcummings at the particular childcare needs that mr cummings faced at the time, it was reasonable of him to self isolate, as he did, for 14 days oi self isolate, as he did, for 14 days or more with his family where he did. Some conservative mps are saying, Prime Minister, this defence that Dominic Cummings behave responsibly, many of their constituents are angry about that because it makes them feel that they we re because it makes them feel that they were irresponsible in not breaching guidelines and going somewhere perhaps close to their family during this lockdown, and they feel insulted by that. I can totally get why people might feel so confused and, as you say, so offended by the idea that it was one thing for people here and another thing for others, but really, having looked at what happened, having looked at his intentions and what he was trying to do for the good of his family, i really think most people will understand what he was doing. The uk was placed into lockdown with strict limitations on travel on the 23rd of march. The last time Dominic Cummings was seen before developing covid i9 symptoms was in downing street on the 27th of march. Durham police had reports that an individual had travelled from london to durham on the 31st of march. The following day, a Police Officer spoke to Dominic Cummingss father at his fatherrequest. Dominic cummings returned to london on the 14th of april. Downing street say that Dominic Cummings and his family we re that Dominic Cummings and his family were hunkered down at an adjacent property to his parents in durham. The bbc has spoken to a member of the public who said he saw mr cummings at Barnard Castle on april the 12th, before he returned to london. At that time, the government messaging was clear stay at home. Iam messaging was clear stay at home. I am content that at all times during his isolation, actually on both sides of that period, he behaved responsibly and correctly. Some conservatives, including those who have crossed swords with Dominic Cummings in the past, are focused on getting him out of number ten. Cummings in the past, are focused on getting him out of number tenm cummings in the past, are focused on getting him out of number ten. It is because of dominics slogans around these rules that mums and dads, grannies and grandpas across the country will have felt that they had to stay at home. I think our strong messages about social distancing, stay at home, makes sacrifices and we are all in this together have become dilutive. He set rules that everybody else has to abide by. He has broken the rules and has to go. The Prime Minister took a nakedly political decision to shift the rules so that his political adviser would be safe. This afternoon, police were seen at mr cummingss property in london. There were security concerns when he was in durham. Cummings seems secure for now but many mps are worried that faith in the governments guidelines area faith in the governments guidelines are a lot more shaky. A lot of talk of Dominic Cummings in that briefing, but it wasntjust of Dominic Cummings in that briefing, but it wasnt just about him. Quitea briefing, but it wasnt just about him. Quite a significant reaffirmation of policy on schools reopening . Thats right, clive. Not surprisingly, the Prime Minister didnt want to talk about dominic Nick Cummings because future slowly. Tomorrow, they will discuss easing of the restrictions, and a sneak preview from the Prime Minister tonight. He was saying that not only wa nt tonight. He was saying that not only want did did he want Primary School to open on the 1st ofjune, he wanted a date for secondary schools for pupils to have contact with teachers. He said that pupils in years ten and i2 with teachers. He said that pupils in years ten and 12 could have contact on june the 15th, in years ten and 12 could have contact onjune the 15th, head of the summer. Of course, but press conference was dominated by Dominic Cummings not just because conference was dominated by Dominic Cummings notjust because people we re cummings notjust because people were interested in his future but interested in the credibility of the government. I have been inundated with calls and texts from some conservative mps saying that their inboxes are creaking with concerns from their constituents, and they are worried, some of them, that the lockdown guidance may well be undermined because people will start doing their own thing, and that is crucial, because when we want to ease the lockdown, the government will have to keep control of the virus. Events of the past few days might make that more difficult. Thank you for that. This week the official number of deaths in care homes in england and wales from covid 19, is expected to pass ten thousand and that number wont include residents who died in hospital. Care leaders say two months into the pandemic, Government Support remains patchy and inconsistent. In the last week, the bbc has spoken to more than a hundred residential and Nursing Homes, and nearly a third still have no staff tested for the virus. Ministers say they threw a protective ring around care homes from the start, and that the majority are coronavirus free. Our social affairs correspondent, alison holt, has returned to one home weve been following throughout the crisis, to get their view. Out of mind for too long, the strain on care staff is so close to the surface. Its like an emotion, you know . Youre up and down and up and down. Youre caring for people under the hardest conditions. To see people get so sick and so poorly and only be able to hold their hand, not be able to give them a cuddle, not be able to do myjob, it makes me feel frustrated inside. One home, but their experience here tells the story of so many. Weve followed care staff at St Ives Lodge in chingford as theyve struggled with covid 19. Six residents have died. Now, eight weeks on, they hope theyve got the better of the virus. So, right from the start, weve tried to throw a protective ring around our care homes. This wasnt what the home manager remembers, struggling to get testing, protective equipment and health support, she felt ignored. Weve made sure that care homes have the resources they need to control the spread of infection. Well, that makes me really angry to watch that, because its rubbish. Feel like were on our own. We have no one. You know, we were making decisions. We were using google. It was a nightmare. But we did it. Staff locked the home down in early march, then official advice england said it was unlikely people in residential and Nursing Homes would be infected by the virus. That advice changed on march the 13th, when care homes were told they should ask no one to visit who had suspected covid 19 or is generally unwell. Three days later, St Ives Lodge had its first case, a resident who visited hospital regularly. The virus spread to others he sat with at mealtimes. On the 17th, the nhs told hospitals they should urgently discharge all hospital inpatients who were medically fit to leave. There is increasing evidence that some patients took the virus into homes. On the 21st, the government said the medically vulnerable should shield, including those in care homes. Three days later, lockdown began for everyone. At this point, the representatives of key care organisations believe that their voice was not really being heard at the heart of government. The focus was on preventing hospitals being overwhelmed. I think its just something about how value people in the care system. Vic rayner, who represents not for profit care homes, says in march some residents were receiving blanket letters from gps saying they might not be taken to hospital. We will be signing forms to say if your heart and breathing stop, the carers will not try to resuscitate you. There will not be ambulances available to come and continue any resuscitation or take you to hospital. The home that received this letter refused to pass it on to its residents. Its not thinking about people, its not thinking about individuals, its thinking about a process and a system. Its saying, the system cant help you. Three weeks into lockdown, with the pandemic at its peak, Council Directors of social care wrote to the government describing protective equipment distribution as shambolic, guidance as contradictory, and saying social care appeared an afterthought. Four days later, the health and care secretary set out his action plan. The government insists its provided the care sector with protective