Suella Braverman speeding course claims prompt inquiry calls - bbc.com

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By Ben Wright, Laura Kuenssberg & Sean Seddon

BBC News

Labour and the Lib Dems are calling for an investigation into Suella Braverman after she sought advice about arranging a private speed awareness course.

The home secretary was caught speeding while attorney general last summer, and faced three points on her licence and a fine, or a course as part of a group.

She tried to arrange a one-on-one course through civil servants and her adviser, the BBC has been told.

A government source denied Ms Braverman broke the ministerial code.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is at the G7 summit in Japan, was asked at a news conference whether he would launch an investigation and whether he had full confidence in Mrs Braverman - he declined to answer both.

"I don't know the full details of what has happened, nor have I spoken to the home secretary," he said.

"But I understand she has expressed regret for speeding, accepted the penalty and paid the fine."

A Downing Street source later said that "of course" Mr Sunak had confidence in Mrs Braverman.

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Labour shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said the prime minister was "too weak" to sack her or launch an inquiry.

After being caught speeding, Mrs Braverman was offered the choice of either a fine and points on her driving licence, or a speed awareness course.

A government source told the BBC the senior minister had been "concerned" about her insurance premiums, and favoured doing a course.

She asked civil servants about arranging a course for just her, citing security concerns about doing one as part of a group, but was told it was not a matter for the civil service.

Mrs Braverman then asked a special adviser to try to arrange a one-on-one course.

When the course provider told her there was no option to do a private course - and after she was reappointed home secretary in Mr Sunak's government - she opted to pay the fine and accept the points because she was "very busy" and did not have the time to do a course, the BBC has been told.

The same government source refused to say whether Mrs Braverman's motivation to do the course in private was to reduce the chances of her being recognised by members of the public.

The prime minister apparently did not know anything about what happened until the story broke in the Sunday Times.

This kind of headline, while he is wrangling world leaders abroad, are a headache at home that he certainly does not need.

Having promised on day one of his job that he would run a government with the highest levels of transparency and integrity, any slight suggestion that his team's behaviour is less than perfect creates political pain for him.

Speaking to Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Conservative cabinet member Therese Coffey said she knew no more about it than what she had read in the papers, while Tory MP Jake Berry said there were "definitely questions to be answered".

He said he expects the issue to be discussed in Parliament in the coming days. Mrs Braverman is already due in the Commons on Monday afternoon for Home Office questions.

Labour has called for an immediate investigation under the ministerial code, with Mr Streeting saying the prime minister should never have appointed Ms Braverman in the first place.

The Liberal Democrats also called for an urgent inquiry, with the party's home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael accusing Mr Sunak of putting politicians into his cabinet who "think they are above the rules" and who "have taken the British people for fools".

The ministerial code sets standards of conduct expected of ministers.

After serving as attorney general between February 2020 and September 2022, Mrs Braverman was promoted to home secretary under Liz Truss.

She resigned on October 19 after sending an official document from a personal email to a backbench MP - describing it as a "technical infringement of the rules". But she was reappointed to the same role by Mr Sunak six days later following the collapse of the Truss government.

A source close to the home secretary said: "Mrs Braverman accepted three points for a speeding offence which took place last summer.

"The Cabinet Office was made aware of the situation as requested by Mrs Braverman. She was not and is not disqualified from driving."

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "It would not be appropriate to comment on the existence or content of advice between government departments."