Here's how much UK PM Rishi Sunak was fined for not wearing seatbelt in moving car

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been fined by the British police for not wearing a seatbelt in a moving car. The Prime Minister was caught without a seatbelt while filming a social media video inside a moving car. On Friday, the Lancashire police announced that they were fining the British Prime Minister and sent him a fixed-penalty notice for not following the traffic laws.

This is not Rishi Sunak’s first rodeo with the British authorities. This is the second time in the last 12 months that he has been fined. Earlier, Sunak was fined for attending Downing Street parties during the COVID-19 lockdown by the Metropolitan police. 

“You will be aware that a video has been circulating on social media showing an individual (Sunak) failing to wear a seatbelt while a passenger in a moving car in Lancashire,” the police said on Friday. Referring to Sunak as 'a 42-year-old man from London', the constabulary added, “After looking into this matter, we have today issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of fixed penalty”.

While the police did not reveal how much they have imposed on Sunak, the UK traffic laws state that the driver and the passengers will be fined up to £500, for not wearing seatbelts in the moving car, The Guardian reported. 

An Instagram story that led to the fine

It all started when the British Prime Minister posted a story on Instagram about the government’s levelling up agenda. In the video which has since disappeared, Sunak can be seen without his seatbelt. He can also be seen talking about the levelling up agenda, as he traveled to the British county of Lancashire on Thursday. The car was accompanied by the police outriders and Sunak was heading to the Lancashire event. 

The video immediately circulated online and the Prime Minister received heavy backlash from netizens. The UK Labour party also took advantage of the situation. A spokesperson from the party exclaimed, “Hapless Rishi Sunak’s levelling-up photo op has blown up in his face and turned him into a laughing stock”.

Sunak, on the other hand, acknowledged his mistake and the Downing Street spokesperson made it clear that he is taking responsibility for his actions. “The Prime Minister fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised. He will of course comply with the fixed penalty,” the spokesperson asserted.

Sunak is not the first sitting Prime Minister to be fined for violating a law. Former UK PM Boris Johnson was slapped with a fine during the COVID-19 lockdown, which made him UK's first sitting Prime Minister to be penalised for breaking the law.