Conservative councillors have differing views on the matter convulsing the party and country – senior adviser Dominic Cummings’ journey to Durham and side-trip to Barnard Castle.

While Mr Cummings enjoys the support of prime minister Boris Johnson and high-profile cabinet figures, at least one member of the government, Scotland minister Douglas Ross, has resigned.

A number of Conservative backbenchers have called for Mr Cummings to resign or be sacked.

Steve Heyes, a councillor for St Andrews, said: “I have detected that people are getting a bit fed up of it all now – that it’s being a bit overplayed by the press.

“I think what Mr Cummings did was allowable, but understand that a lot of people didn’t know that and didn’t think they could do the same.

"I think what he did was probably not advisable but it’s not the big issue that it’s been blown up to be.”

Councillor for Haydon Wick Oliver Donachie was until last week a member of Swindon Borough Council's Conservative cabinet.

And while he is now an independent considers himself still a Conservative – just not a member of the local council group.

He said: “As someone who is involved in politics I don’t think you can set the rules and then not follow them yourself. I think if you’re setting the rules you have to hold yourself to a higher standard.

"I am also a father and if Mr Cummings did what he did because he truly felt that was the best way to protect his child, then I wouldn’t judge anybody for doing what they thought best for their child.”

He added that many friends and acquaintances felt differently.

Coun Donachie said: “A lot of people are really angry about this.

"They’ve told me they haven’t been able to visit their family for weeks. My parents died a long time ago, but a lot of my friends have had real pain and difficulty in not being able to go and see them, and they are furious.”

Town centre cabinet member Dale Heenan saved his anger for the press.

He said: “This is a matter for the prime minister and not any councillor. I believe if an employee did something wrong then the normal HR disciplinary processes should be followed, and that is never splashed across newspapers, TV and the internet.

“This weekend we all saw a witch hunt take place outside Dominic Cummings' home, and a huge amount of abuse and hate directed towards him personally, all endorsed by Labour MPs and supporters.

"No matter the circumstances, no-one should have to deal with that behaviour.”

Oladapo Ibitoye, who represents Penhill and Upper Stratton, said: “This is a national issue and not for me as a councillor to comment on.”

The council’s leader David Renard did not wish to comment on the matter when he was approached the day before Mr Cummings’ press conference on Monday afternoon.

In a poll on the Adver website at the weekend, 81 per cent of the 529 readers who voted felt Mr Cummings should resign.