Suella Braverman faced accusations of seeking preferential treatment over her speeding violations
ADVERTISEMENTBritish Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has cleared his Home Secretary of breaching the country's ministerial code after she was accused of seeking preferential treatment to handle her speeding violations.
Suella Braverman was fined for speeding and went on to ask civil servants to arrange for her to take a private speed awareness course to avoid taking the class with other motorists. Media outlets reported that civil servants had said this was not a matter for them.
After the story broke, Rishi Sunak referred the matter to his ethics adviser, and has since decided not to launch a full investigation.
In a letter to the Home Secretary, he said: "I have consulted with my Independent adviser. He has advised that on this occasion further investigation is not necessary and I have accepted that advice."
However, he added: "As you have recognised, a better course of action could have been taken to avoid giving rise to the perception of impropriety. Nevertheless, I am reassured you take these matters seriously."
Braverman issued a long letter outlining her side of the story, denying that she specifically asked civil servants for advice.
She said: "In hindsight, or if faced with a similar situation again, I would have chosen a different course of action."
Opposition parties had called on the Prime Minister's ethics advisor to investigate further.
Following the news, the Liberal Democrats branded Sunak's decision as a "cowardly cop-out".
"Sunak is too weak to even order an investigation, let alone sack his home secretary," chief whip Wendy Chamberlain added.