A LEADING Southend Tory councillor insists he would have acted “exactly the same” as Dominic Cummings in caring for his children.

The Prime Minister’s chief aide drove 260 miles from his London home to his parents’ estate in County Durham with his wife and son at the height of restrictions at the end of March.

He has faced further allegations that he did not stay indoors while suffering from coronavirus.

Tony Cox, Conservative leader in Southend, defended Mr Cummings’ actions, citing the needs of his son who lives with autism.

He said: “I’m going to put myself in the same situation. He has a son that is autistic. I have a daughter with a mental health condition.

“I have family that live locally, however, my daughter would not have the same bond as she does with her grandparents.

“When you have someone to care for with a mental health condition, you need that familiarity.

“They understand the child. I would have done exactly the same.”

Boris Johnson told a Downing Street press conference on Sunday he had “extensive face-to-face conversations” with Mr Cummings.

He concluded he “followed the instincts of every father and every parent”.

Baroness Angela Smith, former Basildon Labour MP and now leader of the opposition in the House of Lords, said: “I just can’t understand why he is still in the position, and I think it shows quite an arrogance at the heart of the Government.

“It goes right to the core of the Prime Minister’s judgement.”

Lady Smith added: “If I was the Prime Minister, I would sack him.”

Matt Dent, Labour councillor for Kursaal ward in Southend, also called for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to sack Mr Cummings.

Mr Dent said: “This isn’t about politics - this is about basic fairness.

“The rest of us followed the rules – even when it was hard – because it was the right thing to do for the country.

“Meanwhile those in charge acted as they always do – like the rules they make don’t apply to them, and like they’re exempt from the consequences of their own actions - which, it seems, they are.”

Mr Dent added: “It’s disgusting. Of course he should be sacked.”