SUELLA Braverman’s team insisted she had had received a speeding ticket when contacted about the offence six weeks ago, according to reports.
On Saturday evening, reports broke that the Home Secretary Suella Braverman approached civil servants about arranging a private driving awareness course in a bid to help her avoid incurring speeding points on her licence.
It has now been reported that the Home Secretary’s aides told the Mirror reports were inaccurate six weeks ago.
The publication approached her office about the speeding offence on April 4.
A reporter asked whether the Home Secretary was having to do a driving awareness course and in a telephone conversation with one of her aides, they said this was not accurate.
The reporter then asked if it was true that the Home Secretary had been done for speeding. The aide wrongly stated this too was incorrect.
Both Number 10 and Braverman’s team declined to comment on The Mirror’s report.
Braverman allegedly requested that Home Office aides help organise a one-to-one driving awareness course after she was caught speeding last summer as she looked to swerve accepting points on her licence.
According to The Sunday Times, civil servants refused the request, leading Braverman to turn to a political aide to assist her in attempting to arrange an alternative to having to attend a course with other motorists.
The suggestions were said to have been refused by a speeding awareness course provider, with Braverman later choosing to forgo the course altogether and accepting three points on her driving licence.
Rishi Sunak expressed his frustration at being asked whether he would ask his ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus to investigate the claims at the G7 Summit in Japan.
“Did you have any questions about the summit?” he asked, before being further quizzed on Braverman.
Sunak went on to decline to back Home Secretary Suella Braverman over the allegations.
The Prime Minister did not state whether he will launch an investigation into the Cabinet minister, despite demands from Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
Environment Secretary Therese Coffey, speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, said: “I’ve only read the newspapers like your good self, I haven’t got any extra information, I’m not aware of any further details on that.
“It is perfectly normal nowadays if people are found speeding to be offered points or to go on a course of some kind.
“As I say, I don’t know the details that are referred to in the newspaper but I think, as far as I’m aware, the Home Secretary has decided to take the points, pay the penalty and to keep focused on her main job of security, but also tackling illegal migration.”
Coffey, pressed on why she had not contacted her colleague about the reports in order to find out more details, said: “Because it is the case that there is some speculation in the newspaper … I’m not going to get into individual details.
“Candidly, this is just a case of something that happened, I guess, just over a year ago. I don’t quite know the details, I’m only aware of what was in the newspaper.”
Ridge concluded the focus on Braverman by saying: "I don't really know what to say to be honest."
A source close to Braverman told press that the speeding ticket and subsequent arrangements for dealing with it were reported to the Cabinet Office at the time.
