UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has racked up his second police fine in nine months, after Lancashire Police issued him a Fixed Penalty Notice for not wearing a seatbelt in a moving vehicle.
"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 fixed penalty," read a statement from the Lancashire Police.
Screenshot of Twitter account of Lancashire Police.
© Photo : Twitter
Rishi Sunak was filming a social media video on January 19 in the back of the vehicle during a visit to Lancashire to promote his government’s levelling up agenda. In the footage, the PM appeared to have removed his seatbelt.
Twitter screenshot.
© Photo : Twitter
In response to the police fine, No 10 issued a statement, saying:
"The prime minister fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised. He will of course comply with the fixed penalty."
Sunak was previously fined by the Metropolitan Police after, along with then-PM Boris Johnson, he was found to have broken COVID-19 lockdown rules. Sunak and Johnson were fined over a birthday gathering held in Downing Street for the former prime minister when strict restrictions were in place.
Weighing in on the latest misstep by Sunak, the Uk Labour party dubbed him a "laughing stock."
"Hapless Rishi Sunak's levelling-up photo op has blown up in his face and turned him into a laughing stock. He started the week hoping people would be grateful for a partial refund on the money that has been stripped from them over 13 years of the Tories. But instead he got a warring party and yet another fine from the police. Just when you thought this Tory government couldn't get any more ridiculous, they manage it," a spokesperson for Labour said.
Angela Rayner, the party's deputy leader, added: "Rishi Sunak is a total liability."