'What planet are they on?', 'Bojo stands by top aide': UK front pages react to Dominic Cummings crisis

The left-leaning Daily Mirror leads the attack on the pair, labelling Cummings a “cheat” and Johnson a “coward”.

DOWNING STREET ADVISOR Dominic Cummings’ flouting of lockdown guidelines and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s defence of his chief adviser leads the papers across the water today. 

The left-leaning Daily Mirror leads the attack on the pair, labelling Cummings a “cheat” and Johnson a “coward”.

And the normally right-leaning Daily Mail has also turned a blowtorch on the PM and Cummings, with a front page headline of: “What planet are they on?”

The Independent puts the spotlight on Johnson’s lack of answers at his press briefing, which helped leave “a party divided and voters angry”.

The i, meanwhile, leads on the “chaos in No 10”, saying Cummings is clinging to his position with Johnson’s support.

And The Guardian says Johnson has risked his political reputation by defending Cummings.

Meanwhile, the Daily Express plays a straighter bat, with a headline of: “Defiant Boris stands by his man.”

The Daily Telegraph follows Johnson’s line, its headline quoting the PM saying Cummings had acted “responsibly, legally and with integrity”.

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And The Sun focuses on the planned reopening of schools, while noting Johnson had defied calls to sack Cummings.

Finally, the Financial Times runs a photo of Cummings and notes he has the PM’s support, above its lead story focusing on the Treasury’s economic bail-out plan.