Mallika Dureja
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Lancashire Police said that they had given a 42-year-old man from London an offer of a fixed penalty with certain conditions.Mr. Sunak “fully accepts that this was a mistake and has apologised,” adding that he would pay the fine. When a seat belt is available, a passenger who doesn’t use it can be fined £100. If the case goes to court, this can go up to £500. When the video was made, the prime minister was in Lancashire, which is in the north of England.
The video was put on Mr. Sunak’s Instagram account to promote the latest round of “levelling up” spending by the government. It is Mr. Sunak’s second fixed penalty notice while he has been in government. Last April, he, Boris Johnson, and Carrie Johnson were all fined for breaking Covid lockdown rules by going to a party for the then-prime minister’s birthday in Downing Street in June 2020. Fixed penalty notices are fines that people get when they break the law. They have to be paid or contested within 28 days. If the person wants to fight the fine, the police will look at the case and decide whether to drop the fine or go to court.
Following the circulation of a video on social media showing an individual failing to wear a seat belt while a passenger in a moving car in Lancashire we have today (Friday, Jan 20) issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of fixed penalty. pic.twitter.com/i2VJkFL2oL
— Lancashire Police (@LancsPolice) January 20, 2023
Angela Rayner, who is the deputy leader of Labour, said that Mr. Sunak was a “total liability” in a tweet. “Rishi Sunak’s leveling-up photo op has blown up in his face and made him a laughing stock,” said a Labour Party spokesman. The Liberal Democrats said that by becoming the second prime minister ever to get a ticket from the police, he had “shown the same lack of respect for the rules as Boris Johnson.”
Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Lib Dems, said, “From partygate to seatbelt gate, these Conservative politicians just treat the British people like they are stupid.
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“This fine is a reminder that the Conservatives will get what they deserve if they keep acting like there are different rules for them and everyone else.” But Scott Benton, the Conservative MP for Blackpool South, defended Mr. Sunak by saying, “Everyone makes mistakes.” Mr. Benton said that the police should focus on “fighting serious crime in our communities,” and he added, “Let’s keep this in perspective.” Millions of Britons get these same fixed penalty notices every single year.”
People older than 14 are responsible for buckling up in cars, vans, and other goods vehicles with seat belts if they have them. Drivers are responsible for passengers under 14.
If you have a doctor’s note for a medical reason or are in a police, fire, or other rescue vehicle, you don’t have to pay.
