Some conservative columnists have already cried out the “frivolity” of the new scandal, even lamenting that government ministers no longer share lovers with a Soviet attaché, as in the famous “Profumo case,” or get caught up in a sadomasochism session. The week’s controversy involving Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which ended in a traffic ticket, is much milder.
Lancashire County Police have announced their decision to impose a conditional sanction – which involves the payment of £100 and the deduction of points – “to a 42-year-old citizen of London”. The citizen was none other than Sunak, and the fine was the result of his communications team’s own clumsiness. The Prime Minister visited three cities in northern England this week to promote his government’s regional economic equalization plan. At some point during the visit, they had the brilliant idea of recording a video for Instagram of Sunak explaining his plans. Sitting on the back seat of the company car without buckled up, he looks into the camera and addresses the citizens. As the vehicle is in motion, the use of a seat belt is required by law.
When social media users took notice of the breach, Downing Street removed the video from its account and the Prime Minister apologized for a “brief error of judgement”. In any case, the police had no alternative and, after a brief investigation into the incident, fined Sunak.
It is not the first time he has been fined for breaking the law during his reign. While he was Chancellor of the Exchequer during Boris Johnson’s tenure, he was also sanctioned – along with the then Prime Minister and his wife Carrie Johnson – for attending one of the parties that were banned from Downing Street during lockdown . It was June 16, 2020 when the room where government ministers normally meet was used to offer Johnson a surprise cake for his birthday.
clumsiness
Sunak, a big fan of social media, has already made several mistakes that have delighted Labor opposition, such as not being able to pay for a drink with a contact credit card. “He doesn’t know how to buckle up, he doesn’t know how to use a payment card, the train doesn’t work [por las huelgas]neither the economy nor the country,” said a spokesman for the largest opposition party.
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“All of this is tragic evidence of the decline of the United Kingdom,” wrote Brendan O’Neill in The Spectator, the magazine that best sums up the soul of classic British conservatism. “We used to be the world champions when it came to generating industry, pop music or scandals (…). Where previously we were able to produce John Profumo and the glorious Christine Keeler [el ministro y la amante que también tenía relación con el agregado soviético], now we make headlines when the Prime Minister sits in the back seat of his car. Now get ready, Britain! We need a real political scandal as soon as possible.”
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