Mr Cummings has said he acted reasonably – and legally – when he drove 260 miles from his home to Durham, during the lockdown. Despite this, however, his actions have provoked widespread outrage amongst the British public.

Labour’s shadow solicitor general, Ellie Reeves, made the comments about Attorney General Suella Braverman, who is also Advocate General for Northern Ireland, in the Commons this morning.

Ms Graverman claimed, however, that it was “plain” for any “reasonable observer” to see “that there was no question whatsoever of my having provided any public legal view on the matter … and to suggest that that was somehow a legal opinion is simply absurd”.

Ms Braverman, who took silk upon her appointment as the chief legal adviser to the UK government, added: “[Reeves] should know that I have no role whatsoever to play in the day to day decisions of individual cases. I respect and have full confidence in the operational independence of the CPS and the police and I would gently encourage [Reeves] to share my support and share my confidence in them.”