Prime Minister to consult ethics advisor after Suella Braverman is accused of seeking preferential treatment to handle her speeding violations.
British Home Secretary Suella Braverman is in yet more political trouble after coming under suspicion of trying to get preferential treatment over a speeding ticket.
According to the Sunday Times, which broke the story, after being fined for speeding the minister asked advisers to arrange for her to take a private speed awareness course to avoid taking the class with other motorists.
The case caught up with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the G7 summit in Japan. When asked by reporters, he said he “doesn’t know all the details about what happened.
“I understand that she has expressed regret for the speeding, accepted the penalty and paid the fine,” he said. His spokesman said the minister “of course” had the confidence of the Prime Minister.
A spokesman for the minister said in a statement to AFP on Sunday: “Ms Braverman acknowledges that she was speeding last summer and regrets it. She chose to lose three points on her license and paid the fine last year.”
Rishi Sunak will consult his ethics adviser on his return from Japan to investigate if any rules were broken.
Opposition parties have called for an investigation. Labour says the minister broke the rules of the ministerial code, which could lead to her departure from the government.
Speaking to the BBC, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it looked like “inappropriate action took place” from the home secretary that “needs to be fully investigated”.
“The usual consequence of breaking the ministerial code is that you’ll go,” he added.
The Home Office refused to comment when contacted by Euronews on Monday.
Suella Braverman’s appointment had previously been criticised by some because she had to resign from the previous government for having improperly sent an official document from a personal email address.
