I thought this very interesting analysis of Dominic Cummings' statement in the Rose Garden at 10 Downing Street on 25th May 2020 was well worth listening to. There's no paywall round it.
If you had any doubts about whether it was a statement from the heart from a devoted father focused only on his child, or a legally written document carefully drafted to avoid any future challenge in an investigation/court of law, you may be able to resolve them by listening.
I'm also reminded of the fact that it's common knowledge if you're involved in a car accident, no matter how much you know it's your fault and you want to apologise to the other party, and take responsibility, your insurance company tells you that 'you must not accept any liability'.
However, it may well be that notwithstanding that, when you wish to acknowledge that your actions in particularly important circumstances may - in hindsight - have not been the right ones, you do take the opportunity to apologise.
Rather than ensure that everyone round you keeps saying how 'reasonable' you've been, thereby implying that others, carefully and often painfully taking other actions, were more misguided and potentially less caring. And, incidentally, affecting compliance to particularly important instructions in a very dangerous situation.
I do wish we had some more witnesses of whatever went on in Barnard Castle, because an eye-testing safety trip it most definitely wasn't. Good lawyer at drafting, perhaps, pretty poor at coming up with a decent excuse.
https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1265573114219565057?s=20
