WATCH: Angela Rayner’s Dominic Cummings joke at PMQs

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner made a joke referring to the controversial Durham trip of the Prime Minister’s adviser Dominic Cummings as she stood in for Keir Starmer this afternoon.

She told the Commons: “I see once again that the Prime Minister says it’s somebody else’s fault – it’s the public that are using up the tests. These were the government’s own figures and own targets that they failed on.”

On the lack of tests available in coronavirus hotspots across the country, Rayner joked: “The next time a man with Covid symptoms drives from London to Durham it will probably be for the nearest Covid test.”

PM Boris Johnson urges people to “follow the guidance about when they should be getting a test”

“The next time a man with Covid symptoms drives from London to Durham, it’ll probably be for the nearest Covid test,” says Labour’s Angela Rayner #PMQS https://t.co/SpraU8oMMu pic.twitter.com/mgzrhNQ1ov

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 16, 2020

In May, the government faced widespread criticism after it was revealed that Downing Street aide Dominic Cummings had broken lockdown at the height of the pandemic, despite having Covid symptoms, to drive to stay with family in Durham.

Labour’s deputy leader compared the event to the struggle of many people to even find a Covid test after LBC reported that there were no tests available in any of the UK’s ten worst pandemic hotspots.

Rayner was deputising for Keir Starmer as the Labour leader was forced to self-isolate this week due to a member of his family having possible symptoms of coronavirus. The test came back negative today and he is no longer self-isolating.