Will Dominic Cummings go? The raging media storm over Boris Johnson's right-hand man exposes the yawning gap between the practice of politics and the role of trust in public life.

This weekend, a dark and angry political storm swept across the United Kingdom. At its centre is British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's senior strategist, Dominic CummingsCummings, a former chief adviser to UK PM Boris Johnson, was himself widely condemned for breaking lockdown restrictions in 2020..

The mastermind behind the UK's "stay at home" message was caught ignoring his own rules, driving his wife and son 260 miles from London to Durham at the height of the coronavirus crisis.

Under the lockdown guidelines, people need a "reasonable excuse" to leave home. Yesterday, Cummings explained that he had travelled to his parent's house to provide childcare for his son, after he and his wife were infected with the virus. The PM said Cummings had "followed the instincts of every father", and refused to sack him.

Many remain unconvinced, angry that there appears to be "one rule for them, another for everyone else". The storm of public opinion hit social media, with people sharing the personal sacrifices they have made to abide by the rules.

Reports that Cummings had made a day-trip to Barnard Castle "to test his eyesight" and taken a stroll to admire the bluebells outside Durham, only added to the growing fury.

Even the Tory-supporting Daily Mail asked incredulously: "What planet are they on?", whilst the Church of England said the government had "no respect for the people". Scientists advising the government accused the prime minister of "trashing" their fight against Covid-19, warning that lack of clarity would cost lives.

A rogue civil servant briefly managed to take over the official Twitter account to denounce "arrogant" government "truth twisters".

But, despite all the clamour, Johnson is stubbornly refusing to let his adviser go.

Cummings is his right-hand man. He played a decisive role in the successful Vote Leave campaign and masterminded Johnson's huge win in last year's general election.

The government will not face the voters again for another four years, and Johnson is already thinking about what he wants to achieve over the long term. Cummings, with his plans to revolutionise governmentCummings argues that the government and the civil service are dominated by people with a background in the arts and humanities. He advocates a greater role of science in making policy and, recently, called for "weirdos and misfits with odd skills" to come and work for the government., is a key part of that plan.

This is the realpolitik that could save Dominic Cummings.

But many political historians are pointing out, today, that politics and public opinion can be unpredictable. Cummings prides himself at being able to understand the mood of ordinary peopleMost famously, Dominic Cummings was responsible for the slogan: "Take Back Control", which proved effective at connecting with a sense of nostalgia and powerlessness among millions of voters during the 2016 Brexit referendum.. He told reporters, "It's not about what you guys think", and he believes the public will come round to the view that this is a distraction created by the media.

But, for many, his actions show a government without moral principles that cannot be trusted. And the loss of the public's trust may be much more harmful to the government than losing their special adviser.

No, he won't. News stories come and go and, in a few days, the media circus will be obsessing about something else. Johnson has the overwhelming support of his ministers. He cannot afford to lose his chief strategist and he has plenty of time to win back the support and trust of the electorate before the next polls.

Yes, he will. Democratic power is built on public trust. This takes years to build, but can be lost in days. Every 24 hours that this crisis rolls on, the more damage it does to Johnson's political capital and the government's credibility. It is an inevitable force, like an ocean tide. If Johnson wants to remain prime minister of the UK - and he does - he will sooner or later need to sacrifice his favourite adviser.