Labor urges Sunak to ‘show backbone’ over Braverman speed scandal | British News

The Labor Party’s deputy leader has urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to “show some backbone” amid claims the home secretary tried to avoid attending a class after he was caught speeding.

Angela Rayner has written to Mr Sunak calling for an investigation into allegations that Suella Braverman asked officials to help her avoid taking a driving education course with other motorists.

Ms Braverman is instead said to have asked Home Office officials to help arrange a one-to-one course – but when this was refused she asked a political adviser to help her organize an alternative.

Labor say if the reports are true, Ms Braverman may have broken the ministerial code and they want Sir Laurie Magnus, independent adviser on ministerial interests, to launch an investigation.

Ms Rayner said the Prime Minister should order an inquiry “immediately”.

She added: “Members of Cabinet are subject to the same laws as the rest of us and any attempt to order officials to be given special treatment on this matter would clearly amount to an unacceptable abuse of power and privilege by the Home Secretary.” ‘

In a separate statement, Ms Rayner also said: “The Prime Minister must show backbone and direct his ethics adviser to investigate the Home Secretary to get to the bottom of this episode without further delay.”

“The public has a right to know whether the law and order minister attempted to abuse her position to gain preferential treatment to avoid a speeding fine.”

“This conservative cabinet seems to think they are above the laws that govern the rest of us.”

A source close to Ms Braverman told the PA news agency that she had notified the Cabinet Office after she was given the ticket. She was reportedly caught speeding on a road outside London last summer.

A Home Office spokeswoman said she regretted the speeding and has since accepted the points and paid the fine.

Mr Sunak, who is currently meeting G7 leaders in Hiroshima, Japan, refused to support Ms Braverman when asked for his opinion at a press conference today.

But Downing Street has since said it has full confidence in the Home Secretary.

This isn’t the first time Ms. Braverman has faced controversy. She was appointed to her position at the Home Office by Mr. Sunak just six days after she resigned as Home Secretary during Liz Truss’ brief tenure as Prime Minister.

She resigned for leaking a confidential document from a personal email to a Tory backbencher without permission.

In March, an email on Ms Braverman’s behalf accused “a group of left-wing lawyers, civil servants and Labor Party activists” of blocking previous attempts to tackle illegal migration.

She was accused of possibly breaking ministerial rules by questioning officials’ impartiality – but Downing Street later said she ‘didn’t see, didn’t approve or approved’ the email, which was sent in error .

In his first speech after taking office as No. 10, Mr. Sunak vowed to lead a government with “integrity, professionalism and accountability at all levels”.

Ms Rayner said: “Rishi Sunak was too weak to deal with Suella Braverman the last time she broke the ministerial code and his reluctance to immediately order an investigation speaks volumes about how seriously he takes his promise to give integrity to government.”

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