British police said Thursday that while Prime Minister Boris Johnson's chief strategist Dominic Cummings did violate the nationwide lockdown, they will not take further action because it was only a minor breach, UK newspaper the Telegraph reported.

"Dominic Cummings did break lockdown rules when he made a 50-mile journey to Barnard Castle, an investigation by Durham Police has concluded," the Telegraph said. The force "said it would not be taking any further action against Mr. Cummings," the newspaper detailed.

Related reading: In The Spotlight: Dominic Cummings, mastermind turned rulebreaker

The report comes as the demand for Cummings' resignation over his lockdown breach intensifies. In what was regarded as a "party revolt", a total of 39 MPs of the Conservative Party called for Cummings' departure on Tuesday.

But Johnson, who has repeatedly backed his de facto chief of staff after reports revealed his breach, once again expressed his support for Cummings on Wednesday. 

"It's been a very, very frustrating episode and I understand why people... have been so concerned, because this country is going through a horrendously difficult time," Johnson told a parliamentary committee. "(If) what we need to do is to focus on getting the message right... then I think what we need to do really is to move on."

A junior minister has also resigned over the prime minister's refusal to sack Cummings.

Meanwhile, a poll by YouGov and the Times newspaper released on Wednesday morning revealed that the Conservative Party's lead over its main rival Labour narrowed by nine points in just a week amid the ongoing scandal.

Related Reading: Johnson risks party wrath to back Cummings over his breach of lockdown

Apart from losing public support and party loyalty, behavioral scientists say the incident could also discourage the public to respect the lockdown rules, a phenomena that would further risk more lives during the pandemic.

(Cover image: Dominic Cummings, special advisor to Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves his home in London, Britain, May 28, 2020. /Reuters)