Sunak to consult with ethics counselor on Braverman speeding allegations

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Downing Street has confirmed that the Prime Minister will speak to his independent ethics adviser tomorrow to find out whether Braverman breached the ministerial code

The Prime Minister will consult his independent ethics adviser about the Home Secretary’s speeding fine.

It comes as Rishi Sunak refused to publicly back Home Secretary Suella Braverman over allegations she asked officials to help her avoid points on her speeding licence.

Earlier, Mr Sunak did not say whether he would launch an inquiry into the Cabinet minister despite demands from Labor and the Liberal Democrats.

Asked three times at a press conference at the G7 summit in Hiroshima whether Ms Braverman was right to ask officials for help, Mr Sunak said he did not know all the details and would not hadn’t spoken yet.

But he noted that she had expressed regret for speeding.

I don’t know all the details of what happened, nor have I spoken to the Home Secretary, Mr Sunak said.

I think you can see firsthand what I did in the last day, but I understand that she expressed her regrets for speeding, accepted the penalty and paid the fine.

However, a spokeswoman for No 10 later insisted he of course has full confidence in his Home Secretary, responding to a message: Yes he does.

Mr Sunak, who left the press conference to return to London as planned, is expected to speak with Ms Braverman as well as Cabinet Secretary Simon Case after his return.

He expressed frustration when asked if he would ask his ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, to investigate the allegations.

Do you have any questions about the summit? he asked, before being asked more about Ms Braverman.

“I don’t know all the details”

What are the allegations?

The Sunday Times reported that Ms Braverman had asked Home Office aides to help organize an individual driving awareness course.

Officials refused the request, so Ms Braverman reportedly turned to a political aide to help her try to find an alternative to having to take a course with other motorists.

She was caught speeding outside London when she was Attorney General last summer.

The newspaper reported that a number of requests had been made to a speed awareness course provider by an aide, including asking if the senior Tory minister could take an online course but use a pseudonym or turn off her camera.

Ms Braverman ultimately opted to accept three points on her driver’s license.

Call for an “urgent investigation”

Labor Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: The Prime Minister has promised integrity, professionalism and accountability, but it appears his Home Secretary is blatantly flouting the three.

We need an urgent investigation into what happened here, starting with Laurie Magnus to see how this possibly comports with departmental code.

Rishi Sunak was asked three times about Suella Braverman. Credit: PA

Sir Laurie cannot launch an investigation without Mr Sunaks’ approval, but a breach of the Ministerial Code is often a matter of resignation.

A source close to Ms Braverman said the speeding fine and subsequent arrangements to deal with it were reported to the Cabinet Office at the time.

They said she wanted to arrange a course due to fears that her insurance premium could potentially increase.

According to The Sunday Times, she approached officials about it after being appointed Home Secretary by Liz Truss.

Ms Braverman resigned in October after she shared a sensitive document with a Tory backbench MP from a personal email without permission.

But Mr Sunak only renewed it six days later when he entered No 10.

What does Suella Braverman say?

A source close to the Home Secretary said: “Ms Braverman accepted three points for a speeding violation which took place last summer.

“The Cabinet Office has been advised of this as requested by Ms Braverman. She was not and is not prohibited from driving.”

A motorist can be banned from driving if they have 12 or more penalty points on their licence.

A spokesperson for the Home Secretary said: “Ms Braverman admits she sped up last summer and regrets it.

“She took the three points and paid the fine last year.”

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