Police are investigating a video of Rishi Sunak not wearing a seatbelt in a car after it was posted on Instagram.
Lancashire Police have confirmed they are ‘looking into the matter’ after the Prime Minister admitted he failed to wear a seatbelt while filming the video and travelling in the backseat of a moving vehicle — an apparent breach of the law.
Number 10 has said Mr Sunak has apologised, calling it a ‘brief error of judgement’.
A spokesperson for Downing street said: “That was a brief error of judgement. The Prime Minister removed his seatbelt to film a short clip.”
Adding: “Sunak fully accepts this was a mistake and apologises.
“The Prime Minister believes everyone should wear a seatbelt. It was an error of judgement; he removed it for a short period of time to film a clip, which you’ve seen, but he accepts that was a mistake.”
Fines of up to £500 can be issued for failing to wear a seatbelt when one is available. There are a few exemptions, including when a car is being used for police, fire and rescue services, and for certified medical issues.
The video was posted on Sunak’s own Instagram account as a story while he has been visiting the North, but it has since disappeared.
Blackpool and Accrington were also announced as successful candidates to receive a share of the funds.
Recent Department for Transport figures suggested that around 30% of people killed in cars on the roads in 2021 were not wearing a seatbelt.
Labour said Mr Sunak’s video was adding to ‘endless painful viewing’ after he previously appeared to struggle to make a contactless payment with his card.
A Labour spokesperson said: “Rishi Sunak doesn’t know how to manage a seatbelt, his debit card, a train service, the economy, this country.
“This list is growing every day, and it’s making for endless painful viewing.”