It would be reasonable, I think, to expect senior cabinet ministers, including the Prime Minister to attend all COBRA meetings.

These meetings are called to address urgent issues and again to my mind it would be essential that all senior staff would be au fait with the issue. All parts of that issue.

To receive any information "second hand" does not normally allow a full and clear picture of the situation to be arrived at.

Thus any minister, and certainly the Prime Minister, missing these meeting could be construed as a dereliction of duty.

Please note this applies to any government of any persuasion.