British PM Fined for Failing to Wear Seatbelt

By Staff, Agencies

British PM Rishi Sunak has been fined by Lancashire Police for failing to wear a seatbelt while filming a social media clip in the back of a moving car.

The prime minister apologized for the “brief error of judgment” after the clip was posted to Instagram during a visit to the area to talk about Levelling Up funding.

It is the second fixed penalty notice for Sunak; while chancellor, he was issued with a £50 ticket for breaching COVID lockdown laws at one of the events that sparked the Partygate scandal. Reports at the time suggested Sunak had to be “talked out” of resigning over the fine.

Lancashire Police said: “You will be aware that a video has been circulating on social media showing an individual failing to wear a seat belt while a passenger in a moving car in Lancashire.

“After looking into this matter, we have today [Friday, January 20th] issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of fixed penalty.”

A No 10 spokesperson confirmed Sunak would pay the fine and said he “fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologized”.

“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,” the spokesperson added.