Dominic Cummings could be asked to prove he was not in Durham for a second lockdown trip when he faces MPs next week.
Boris Johnson ’s former chief adviser came under fire for driving 260 miles from his London home just weeks into the strict first lockdown, when he was seen in Barnard Castle on April 12 last year.
He has always denied returning north again the following week, but now there are calls for him to provide the evidence.
He is due before the Health and Social Care Committee and Science and Technology Committee on Wednesday to give evidence on the Government’s handling of the pandemic.
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He is threatening to release a “crucial historical document” about the Prime Minister’s response, blaming Government secrecy for last year’s “catastrophe”.
But his call for transparency could backfire as questions continue over the allegations of a second Durham trip, highlighted by a joint Mirror/Guardian investigation a year ago today.
David and Clare Edwards, both 60, told police they saw Mr Cummings in Houghall Woods, Durham, just after 11am on April 19 last year.
He has consistently denied their version of events. Three other witnesses have since claimed they also saw him.
In their response to a complaint by David and Clare over the handling of the case, Durham Police quoted a report that Mr Cummings was seen on Hampstead Heath in London on April 19.
New Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has since said she would support examination of automatic number plate recognition footage near the woods for the time concerned.
David said: “I think it is a very good idea to ask Mr Cummings to provide evidence of where he was on April 19.
"Someone should ask him that question.”
Former Durham Police chief constable Mike Barton said Mr Cummings had “risked lives” by driving across the country when his wife was showing signs of infection.
Mr Cummings’ attack on the Government began with a poll of his Twitter followers asking whether he should auction the critical document for charity, give it to a Commons select committee or publish it on his blog.
He deleted the tweet after about 45 minutes, saying he had “botched options like idiot”.
