Yahoo News Police 'Looking Into' Rishi Sunak Not Wearing Seatbelt In Video
Prime minister Rishi Sunak
Police are “looking into” whether Rishi Sunak broke the law after the prime minister was filmed in a moving car without wearing a seatbelt.
Sunak earlier apologised as Downing Street said he had made a “brief error of judgment” by removing the safety device when he visited Lancashire on Thursday.
Fines of up to £500 can be issued for failing to wear a seatbelt when one is available.
A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: “We are aware of the matter and we will be looking into it.”
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A Downing Street spokesperson said Sunak “fully accepts this was a mistake and apologises”.
“The prime minister believes everyone should wear a seatbelt,” the spokesman said.
“It was an error of judgment, he removed it for a short period of time to film a clip, which you’ve seen, but he accepts that was a mistake.”
There are a few exemptions for failing to wear a belt, including when a car is being used for police, fire and rescue services and for certified medical issues.
But Downing Street did not believe there was an exception for travelling in a ministerial car.
The government has considered toughening seatbelt rules to ensure drivers not wearing them could receive penalty points.
Recent Department for Transport figures suggested around 30% of people killed in cars on Britain’s roads in 2021 were unrestrained.
Sunak was also facing criticism for travelling to Blackpool in a taxpayer-funded RAF jet rather than using a train, and then taking a 28-minute flight to Darlington.
