Tory protests over Dominic Cummings scandal are too little too late

Record View says the Scottish Tories are a branch office more concerned about party than country.

It didn't take too long for the fallout from the Dominic Cummings scandal to spread to Scotland.

When the story broke last week, some Tory MPs did the decent thing and called for the aide to quit.

They quickly concluded that his 250-mile trip from London to Durham had breached lockdown rules.

However, none of the initial batch of Tories who publicly expressed outrage were from Scotland.

The assortment of Conservative MPs and MSPs kept quiet in the hope the row would blow over. No chance.

The dam broke when referee-turned-politician Douglas Ross blew the whistle on his ministerial career by quitting the Scotland Office.

He was followed by various MSPs who were clearly unhappy about their party’s silence on such an important matter.

Eventually, Scots Tory leader Jackson Carlaw, who had tried to say nothing, forced himself to call for Cummings to go.

The spin is that party figures wanted to hear from Cummings himself before making a judgment.

However, it was clear last week that the controversial aide had broken the rules – Carlaw and co didn’t need any extra time.

The Scottish Tories, far from being autonomous, are a branch office more concerned about party than country.

Their protests at Cummings’ actions are too little too late.

Answers required

The impact of coronavirus on care homes has been devastating.

At Whitehills, in East Kilbride, 23 residents have died.

As an example, it’s heartbreaking.

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As an indication of the national picture, it is frightening.

The Care Inspectorate is being asked to probe Whitehills, having already intervened in Skye.

There are many serious questions to answer in homes across the country.

And there will have to be a full investigation into all decisions made about their use.

Hundreds of elderly people were moved from hospital to care homes at the start of the pandemic. Was this a major factor in the spread of the virus?

Only a proper investigation into the appalling care home death toll will give the answers families deserve.