A senior councillor told people “not to follow the example of Dominic Cummings” and urged them to continue to adhere to social distancing guidance after lockdown measures were eased.

Cllr Krupesh Hirani, responsible for public health at Brent Council, said residents should listen to health authorities’ advice on how to stay safe and “play your part in saving lives”.

It comes as he criticised Boris Johnson’s senior adviser, who breached lockdown guidance by travelling 260 miles to his parents’ home in County Durham after his wife became ill in late March.

Cllr Hirani also hit out at the Government’s reaction to the news after the prime minister and several cabinet members defended Mr Cummings’ behaviour.

He said: “People have been making extraordinary sacrifices over the lockdown period.

“To now say that there was scope for discretion in how the rules should be applied has caused real anger amongst the public.

“It makes our job as well as the police’s job locally much harder to get the public on board in following the rules going forward.

“It can’t be one rule for Downing Street officials and another rule for the rest of us.

“My message to people is not to follow the example of Dominic Cummings and to continue to play your part in saving lives and helping us all to get through this difficult period.”

From today (June 1), in England, groups of up to six people from different households can meet outside – including in private gardens – as long as they remain at least two metres apart.

Groups of six from different households will also be able to exercise together, but physical contact is still prohibited.

The Government insisted changes are being made in a “very cautious” way, but several scientists and health authorities have raised concerns about relaxing rules too quickly.