Damien

The poll ratings will recover and besides, it's a long time until the election.

Things like this are cumulative. It impacts people's perceptions of the Government and erodes some goodwill but voters who elected the Conservatives on a large margin just six months ago haven't, and won't, all leave them over this. However, it's a knock and you only get so many before real damage sets in. Every Government has these moments. They'll pay a price but not at all a fatal one.

It will also cost Boris Johnson slightly, he has asked his ministers and MPs to back him over it and they will but it's a favour they've done him. He can only push them so far as well.

And yes people's perceptions of how they handled the pandemic will greatly override whatever Cummings does.