British police will “investigate” a video of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sitting in a car without a seat belt – an “error of judgment,” Downing Street says, for which he has apologized.
In a video on Thursday, the Conservative leader, who was not wearing a seatbelt, spoke about his pro-growth policies from the back of a moving car as he drove to Lancashire in northern England, which was broadcast in Scotland. Posted on Naker’s social media channels. Failure to wear a seat belt carries a fine of up to £500 ($619).
A spokesman for Lancashire Police said authorities “were made aware of the matter, and we will be investigating.” A Downing Street spokesman said Sunak “fully admits it was a mistake and apologises.”
“The Prime Minister believes that everyone should buckle up,” the spokesman added. “It was an error in judgment. He took it down at short notice to film the sequence you’ve seen but admitted it was a mistake.”
Sunak’s travel habits have become a talking point in Britain, where his political opponents have recently targeted him for using jets for several short flights. Labor deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “Rishi Sunak’s expensive private jet is costing the environment and the taxpayer dearly.”
However, a spokesperson defended the decision, saying Sunak used “various modes of transport depending on what … makes the best use of his time to enable him to travel around the UK”. (Reuters / PhotoNews”