'Brief error of judgment': British PM Rishi Sunak Apologises For Driving Without Seatbelt, probe underway

While filming a short video, British PM Rishi Sunak removed his seatbelt. He has apologised for this 'brief error of judgment' however, the local police is 'looking into' the matter.

The local police force where British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak filmed a social media video in a moving car without a seatbelt said on Friday that they were “looking into” the matter. Lancashire Police said it was aware of the matter from Thursday when Sunak apologised for a “brief error of judgment” in removing his seatbelt to film a video while driving in north-west England. He now faces the prospect of a GBP 100 fine if a legal breach is established by the police.

"That was a brief error of judgement. The PM removed his seatbelt to film a small clip. He fully accepts this was a mistake and apologises about it," Sunak's spokesperson said.

"The Prime Minister believes everyone should wear a seatbelt," the spokesperson added.

In the UK, passengers caught failing to wear a seatbelt while in a car, unless covered by a valid medical exemption, can be given an on-the-spot fine of GBP 100, increasing to GBP 500 if the case goes to court.

Sunak filmed the video while seated in the back seat of a moving car to promote his government's new Levelling Up Fund announcements to fund over 100 projects around the country. Police motorbikes could be seen escorting his car as he addressed the camera.

In England, passengers aged 14 and over are responsible for ensuring they wear a seat belt in cars, vans and other goods vehicles if one is fitted and drivers are responsible for passengers under 14. Exemptions include having a doctor's certificate for a medical reason or being in a vehicle used for police, fire or other rescue services. The government recently also considered toughening seatbelt rules to ensure drivers not wearing them could also receive penalty points on their licence. The latest Department for Transport figures suggests around 30 per cent of people killed in cars on the roads in the UK in 2021 were not in a seatbelt.

The Opposition Labour Party said the latest incident added to "endless painful viewing" after a previous video appeared to show Sunak struggling to make a contactless payment with his card.

"Rishi Sunak doesn't know how to manage a seatbelt, his debit card, a train service, the economy, or this country. This list is growing every day, and it's making for endless painful viewing," a Labour spokesperson said.

It came at the end of a day during which he also came under Opposition fire for using a Royal Air Force (RAF) jet to fly to the north of the country. Downing Street insisted the use of the aircraft was to ensure the best use of the Prime Minister’s time.

"It seems like the PM is getting too used to flying around in private jets that he's forgotten to wear a seatbelt in a car," said Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper.

The UK’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said "everyone should take seatbelt laws seriously – whoever and wherever they are".

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)