British Home Secretary Suella Braverman on Monday denied any wrongdoing in connection with a speeding ticket that has put her back at the center of allegations of misconduct in government. Rishi Sunak, who took office as prime minister in October on a promise to restore integrity to the executive, could now face an ethics probe over allegations that Braverman asked traffic officials not to remove points from his driving license, instead taking an awareness course after receiving a speeding ticket.
Braverman, known for her tough stance on Brexit and criticized for her anti-immigration rhetoric, played down the controversy, saying she paid the fine and accepted the withdrawal of points, denying that she had tried to evade the penalty. However, she refused three times to clarify exactly what she had asked the officials when she was asked about it in Parliament.
The opposition deputies criticized her attitude, accusing her of believing herself to be above the norm. Labor MP Yvette Cooper called Sunak’s performance a “weakness” in reappointing Braverman to government after her earlier resignation for using her personal email for official business.
Sunak, who returned from the G7 summit in Japan, appeared before Parliament and assured that the allegations against Braverman would be properly and professionally examined. He confirmed that he had already discussed the matter with his ministerial ethics adviser, opening the possibility of a formal investigation requested by the Labor opposition.
Since he took office, Sunak has lost three members of his government due to a lack of transparency in fiscal matters and accusations of harassment.