Braverman: I did nothing wrong over speeding fine
Home Secretary under fire after traffic offence as the PM holds off on ordering ministerial ethics inquiry
‘I was speeding. I regret that. But we’re focused now on delivering for the British people’
SUELLA BRAVERMAN claims she did “nothing untoward” in her handling of a speeding offence as Rishi Sunak yesterday held off ordering an inquiry into whether she broke ministerial rules.
The Home Secretary denied she had tried to “avoid sanction” by asking her civil servants about organising a private driving awareness course as she sought to avoid incurring points on her licence.
The Prime Minister yesterday consulted Sir Laurie Magnus, his ethics adviser, about a potential inquiry before questioning Mrs Braverman over the issue, which has overshadowed his return from the G7 summit in Japan.
Mr Sunak delayed a decision on an inquiry as he prioritised a Commons statement on the G7 and a Downing Street meeting on immigration, ahead of Thursday’s expected announcement of a record high net migration figure of 700,000 last year.
Downing Street declined to endorse Mrs Braverman’s assertions that nothing untoward had happened and that she had not sought to evade a sanction.
A spokesman said the Prime Minister had spoken to Mrs Braverman and wanted “to avail himself of all the information before he makes a decision”.
In the Commons, Mrs Braverman faced down Labour demands for an inquiry but a senior ally of hers told The Daily Telegraph that she should request an ethics investigation by Sir Laurie to clear her name.
The ally said that although what she did was “stupid”, the timing of the disclosure was “highly suspicious” after she had issued high-profile, public warnings about the failure of the Government to bring down net migration.
The row comes as Mrs Braverman is fighting a battle within Cabinet for the Government to go further in curbing net migration ahead of the release of the latest figures.
In a similar row over immigration last October, Mrs Braverman was forced to resign after it emerged that she had sent an official document to a colleague from her personal email.
In her first public comments on the row yesterday, Mrs Braverman did not deny asking civil servants to intervene. It is understood that they refused after consulting the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics unit.
Mrs Braverman is then said to have turned to a political aide to assist her in trying to arrange an alternative to having to attend a course. Allies maintained she was seeking advice on what to do rather than directing them.
Officials consulted the ethics team by email, according to The Times. Mr Sunak was said to be considering the emails as he contemplated an independent investigation into whether Mrs Braverman breached the ministerial code.
Asked yesterday if she had asked officials to arrange a one-to-one speeding course especially 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.
“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.”
Senior Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, who chairs the Commons defence committee, accused her of “pulling strings” and “using her connections” to cover up her actions. But former Cabinet minister Jacob Reesmogg, an ally, said there was no need for an ethics investigation and urged Mr Sunak to “close down the subject”.