BORIS Johnson's chief adviser Dominic Cummings will make a public statement following calls for him to be sacked over allegations he breached coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

The Prime Minister's aide is expected to take questions following the unusual address, as he faces sustained pressure from across the political spectrum to quit his Government role.

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Mr Cummings travelled to County Durham in March to self-isolate with his family - apparently because he feared that he and his wife would be left unable to care for their son - while official guidelines warned against long-distance journeys.

Further reports also suggested he took a second trip to the North East in April, having already returned to London following his recovery from Covid-19 - a disease which has seen more than 45,000 people in the UK die after contracting it.

Several Conservative backbenchers have joined calls from opposition parties for Mr Cummings to quit or be sacked, amid warnings that his actions have "undermined" efforts to fight coronavirus.

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It comes as Durham's acting police and crime commissioner, Steve White, said there was a "plethora" of additional information which deserved "appropriate examination".

He said he has written to Durham police's chief constable asking her to "establish the facts concerning any potential breach of the law or regulations in this matter".

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is chairing a Cabinet meeting where ministers are expected to discuss the easing of restrictions for certain sectors of the economy, including the reopening of some non-essential shops.

It follows confirmation that the phased reopening of England's primary schools will commence on June 1.

Mr Johnson said he could "not mark down" Mr Cummings for the way he acted, and told the Downing Street press conference on Sunday that, following "extensive" talks with his aide, he concluded "he followed the instincts of every father and every parent".

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He said Mr Cummings had "acted responsibly, legally and with integrity".

But Tory former minister Paul Maynard said: "It is a classic case of 'do as I say, not as I do' - and it is not as if he was unfamiliar with guidance he himself helped draw up.

"It seems to me to be utterly indefensible and his position wholly untenable."

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said it was his "understanding" from the Prime Minister that Mr Cummings and his family did not break the law in their trip to Durham during lockdown.