British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been fined for not a wearing seatbelt during a visit to Lancashire.
Lancashire constabulary announced on Friday it was fining Sunak, who filmed a social media video earlier this week while travelling in the back of a car without his belt on. Police 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 a fixed penalty.
A No 10 Downing Street spokesperson confirmed the development, saying:
The prime minister fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised. He will of course comply with the fixed penalty.
The police did not say how much they had fined the prime minister.
However, according to the government’s safety campaign, any driver or passenger not wearing a seatbelt is breaking the law and is liable to be fined up to £500.
Sunak became the second sitting prime minister in British history to be fined by the police.
It is the second time Sunak has been fined in the past 12 months after he was punished by the Metropolitan police for attending Downing Street parties during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Boris Johnson also received a fine at that time, which made him the first sitting prime minister to be fined for breaking the law. | The Guardian