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AFP
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has given his full backing to his most senior adviser, Dominic Cummings, after he was accused of breaking lockdown rules.
Mr Johnson said Mr Cummings acted "responsibly, legally and with integrity" and that he acted "with the overwhelming aim of stopping the spread of this virus".
What are the claims?
We know the PM's chief aide drove 260 miles from his London home to his parents' estate in County Durham at the height of restrictions in March.
But allegations in the Observer and Sunday Mirror said the former Vote Leave boss did not stay indoors while in Durham, and also, that he made another trip there after returning to London in April.
What are the key dates?
What has Mr Cummings said?
Speaking to reporters outside his home in London on Saturday morning, he said he had done the "right thing" by travelling with his wife and young son to be near relatives when she developed Covid-19 symptoms at the end of March.
When asked whether his trip to Durham "looked good", he said: "Who cares about good looks? It's a question of doing the right thing. It's not about what you guys think."
Asked whether he would reconsider his position, he said: "Obviously not."
What has Boris Johnson said?
Mr Johnson told the daily Downing Street briefing on Sunday that he had held "extensive" face-to-face talks with Mr Cummings to discuss the situation.
"I've concluded that in travelling to find the right kind of childcare at the moment when he and his wife were about to be incapacitated by coronavirus - and when he had no alternative - I think he followed the instincts of every father and every parent, and I do not mark him down for that," the PM said.
He added: "I believe that in every respect he has acted responsibly, and legally and with integrity and with the overwhelming aim of stopping the spread of this virus and saving lives."
How has No 10 responded?
Downing Street issued an initial statement about the Durham trip, saying Mr Cummings made the journey fearing both he and his wife would be unable to properly care for their four-year-old son.
"His sister and nieces had volunteered to help so he went to a house near to but separate from his extended family in case their help was needed. His sister shopped for the family and left everything outside," the statement said.
Downing Street said no member of Mr Cummings' family was spoken to by police, although Durham Constabulary later said officers had spoken to his father by phone.
A further No 10 statement addressing allegations in the Sunday papers about a second visit to the North East was issued on Saturday night.
"Yesterday the Mirror and Guardian wrote inaccurate stories about Mr Cummings," it said.
"Today they are writing more inaccurate stories including claims that Mr Cummings returned to Durham after returning to work in Downing Street on 14 April. We will not waste our time answering a stream of false allegations about Mr Cummings from campaigning newspapers."
What are others saying?
Daily Mirror political editor Pippa Crerar told the BBC on Sunday the paper stood by its reporting.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for a Cabinet Office inquiry and said: "It is an insult to sacrifices made by the British people that Boris Johnson has chosen to take no action against Dominic Cummings."
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she believed Mr Cummings should step down in a similar way to Scottish chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood, who resigned after visiting her second home.
Lib Dem acting leader Sir Ed Davey said the PM's judgment would be called into question if he did not sack Mr Cummings.
A number of Conservative MPs also said Mr Cummings should step down.
Backbench Tory MP Steve Baker called for the senior adviser to resign: "The country can't afford this nonsense, this pantomime, Dominic should go and we should move on and deal with things that matter in people's lives."