Nichola Mallon uses Covid-19 conference to attack Brexit and Dominic Cummings

She was speaking as another two coronavirus-related deaths were added to Northern Ireland’s total, bringing the cumulative number since March 18 to 516.

The previous day had been the first day since March 20 that the Province recorded no such deaths at all.

During the daily Executive press conference, which was unusually short at only around 10 minutes, SDLP MLA Ms Mallon said the actions of Mr Cummings had “rightly caused great anger”.

She added: “I believe that as a Government your job is to keep people safe and to keep people with you, and to do that they must have confidence and trust in the public health advice,” she said.

“I think what Dominic Cummings has done has rightly caused great anger because while the rest of us are expected to follow the rules, if you’re in the elite in Number 10, it’s OK to follow your instincts and I think for that reason Dominic Cummings should go.”

She also said that whilst people are allowed to meet up outdoors in small groups, “this isn’t a comfort for everyone”.

She added: “I know for my family, I’d love to take my three small children to see their nanny indoors, but that isn’t safe and it isn’t the rules.”

She warned of “an economic crisis looming from the British government’s Brexit”.

She said: “UK exit is a short seven months away. As minister I have asked the British government for a clear and detailed plan for delivery... there has been nothing.

“I think that we look at the impact of Covid on business, communities and families, the last thing anyone needs is a cliff edge of a Brexit no-one has prepared for.

“I think anyone who is approaching this with common sense will come to the conclusion that we need to be requesting an extension...

“I remain firmly of the view that in the interest of everyone in Northern Ireland, we should be asking the British government for an extension.”

Although the UK formally left the EU on January 31 this year, the transition period (during which the government says current rules on trade, travel, and business will continue to apply) goes on until the end of this year.

Official government figures show that Belfast is the council region which has by far the greatest number of deaths, at 158; the next worst-hit area is Antrim and Newtownabbey with 55 and the least-affected is Fermanagh and Omagh with 10.

The worst single days were April 9 and April 22, when 25 deaths were recorded on both.

However the figures show a notable downward trend from there, both at NI and UK levels.

In the UK, the total number of deaths of fully-confirmed Covid-19 patients is 37,460.

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