MPs must be held to same standard in eye of the law

The pressure appears to be mounting daily on the Fareham MP – or as she is known to most of the country, the home secretary – Suella Braverman.

At a time when the home office has plenty of issues to be dealing with, its head is instead fending off questions about speeding fines and courses.

Some commentators, and Mrs Braverman herself, have pointed out that this whole issue of the speeding ticket is a distraction from the real business of government.

And they’re right – but from what has emerged so far it would appear to be a distraction of Ms Braverman’s own making.

When Rishi Sunak became prime minister he did so promising ‘integrity, professionalism and accountability,’ a triumvirate he has referred to repeatedly since.

The home secretary should surely be aware that using civil servants in a bid to change the rules so she can have a private speed awareness course instead of joining a public one is being neither transparent nor visibly accountable.

Just think how differently this could have played out if Mrs Braverman had been upfront about being caught speeding and doing the course without making a big deal of it – it could have even been a PR victory at a time when many are of the opinion ‘it’s one rule for them and another rule for us.’

She would have been seen to be accountable to the same rules as the rest of us.

Our MPs, and particularly those in the great offices of state, should be held to a greater standard morally than the rest of us.

Of course they are only human, and we are not suggesting that a speeding offence is grounds to be stripped of her post.

But if she is found to have misused her position and the civil service in a bid to keep it hidden from the public, and thus breached the ministerial code, then she should face punishment.