Braverman: Nothing untoward happened
SUELLA BRAVERMAN insisted there was “nothing untoward” about her handling of a speeding offence as Rishi Sunak considered whether to launch a formal investigation.
The Home Secretary is under pressure after reports she asked officials to try to arrange a private speed awareness course for her rather than take penalty points on her driving licence. In her first public comments on the row, Mrs Braverman did not deny asking civil servants to intervene.
Asked directly if she asked officials to arrange a one-to-one course for her, she said: “Last summer, I was speeding. I regret that. I paid the fine and I took the points but we’re focused now on delivering for the British people and working for them.”
Pressed on the same question, she said: “In relation to the process, I’m focused on delivering for the British people, doing my job as Home Secretary and what I will say is that, in my view, I’m confident that nothing untoward has happened.”
Mr Sunak has spoken to his ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus about Ms Braverman, Downing Street said.
No formal inquiry has yet been launched into whether she breached the ministerial code, it is understood.
A No 10 spokesman said Mr Sunak was “availing himself of information” about the situation after his return from the G7 summit overnight.
But Mr Sunak continued to have confidence in his Home Secretary, the spokesman said.
“He and the Home Secretary continue to work closely on the public’s priorities, not least tackling illegal immigration,” he added.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mrs Braverman should resign if she is found to have broken the ministerial code.
Sir Laurie cannot begin an investigation into a minister’s conduct without the authorisation of the Prime Minister.
Sir Keir told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I don’t know all the facts but it looks to me as though the Home Secretary’s actions were inappropriate and they should be investigated.”
The Labour leader said he did not want to get “ahead of himself” in calling for Mrs Braverman to resign but said: “I think if she’s breached the ministerial code she should go... in the end, it’s the ministerial code that matters.”