Sunak fined for not wearing seatbelt

RISHI SUNAK was last night fined £100 for not wearing a seatbelt while filming a social media clip in a moving car.

Lancashire Constabulary issued a 42-year-old man from London with a “conditional offer of fixed penalty”, a day after the clip was posted online by Downing Street.

No10 previously said the Prime Minister, 42, had made a “brief error of judgment” by removing his seatbelt as he promoted his levelling up funding in an Instagram video when he visited Lancashire on Thursday.

It makes him the second prime minister since Boris Johnson to receive a fixed-penalty notice while in office.

A spokesman for Mr Sunak said he would pay the fine. Had he decided not to pay, the case would have gone to court and he may have had to pay £500.

They added: “The Prime Minister fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised. He will of course comply with the fixed penalty.”

This is the second time Mr Sunak has been issued with a fixed-penalty notice.

Last year, he was fined by the Metropolitan Police in relation to Boris Johnson’s “birthday party” in the Cabinet room on June 19 2020, while lockdown restrictions were in place.

In a statement released yesterday, Lancashire Constabulary said: “You will be aware that a video has been circulating on social media showing an individual failing to wear a seatbelt while a passenger in a moving car in Lancashire.

“After looking into this matter, we have today issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of fixed penalty.”

The Prime Minister was in Lancashire when the video was filmed, during a trip across the north of England to promote the sharing out of levelling-up funds. The video was posted on Mr Sunak’s Instagram account but was

‘We have today issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of fixed penalty’

‘From partygate to seatbeltgate, these Conservative politicians are just taking the British people for fools’

subsequently deleted after an outcry. Government guidance states that any driver or passenger not wearing a seatbelt is breaking the law.

Anyone over the age of 14 who is caught not wearing a seatbelt on the road can be given an on-the-spot fine of up to £100. This can increase to £500 if it goes to court.

Ministers considered a further crackdown last year in points would have been added to the licences of motorists who were caught.

Earlier, a Tory MP said that Mr Sunak being investigated by police after failing to wear a seatbelt was not a “good use of front-line resources”.

Scott Benton, the MP for Blackpool South, suggested an inquiry would be “politically motivated” and most people would rather that crime-fighting efforts were focused elsewhere.

He wrote on Twitter: “[Lancashire Police] do an amazing job, but I’m sure their time is better spent investigating serious crime which impacts on my constituents.

“The vast majority of people would think that politically motivated complaints about a seatbelt are not good use of front-line resources.”

Asked if Mr Benton’s view was shared by the Prime Minister, a spokesman for No 10 said: “It’s entirely a matter for the police where they allocate resources.”

The spokesman added he was not aware that there had been any contact between Mr Sunak and Lancashire police since the statement that was issued by the force. Pressed on whether Mr Sunak thought nobody should be above the law, he said “of course”, adding: “The Prime Minister believes everyone should wear a seatbelt.

“It was an error of judgment, he removed it for a short period of time to film a clip, which you’ve seen, but he accepts that was a mistake.”

Daisy Cooper, the Liberal Democrat deputy leader, said: “Rishi Sunak has shown the same disregard for the rules as Boris Johnson, and now becomes the second ever prime minister to be fined by the police.

“From partygate to seatbeltgate, these Conservative politicians are just taking the British people for fools.

“Whilst they continue to behave as though it’s one rule for them and another for everyone else, this fine is a reminder that the Conservatives eventually get their comeuppance.”

Cat Smith, Labour MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, tweeted: “Thank you Lancashire Police for all you do in road safety campaigning all year round. Also, reminding us no one is above the law.”