“In any society, there are people who are ready to turn any good thought, idea, regulation or even faith, into a state of religious fanaticism,” he told HuffPost UK.

“Dominic Cummings is not a fanatic; he is a reasonable person, and he did what any man should have done. Nothing outright illegal – and rather honest and courageous.

“Of course, I understand the anger levelled at him, by those who made self-isolation and isolation of loved ones a form of asceticism. In truth, I think it is absolutely wrong that 95% of the capable working population is forced to stay at home indefinitely.

“Today, it is no longer self-isolation, it is self-destruction – of the national economy and our mental health.”