UK PM Rishi Sunak fined for not wearing seatbelt by British police

Indian-origin UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on Friday, was fined by the British police for not wearing a seatbelt in a video he shared on social media.

Earlier, on Thursday Sunak apologized for the video, in which he could be seen in the backseat of a car without wearing a belt, referring to himself not wearing a seatbelt as a “brief error of judgement”.

We've only had a rear seatbelt law for 30+ years @RishiSunak pic.twitter.com/PJ2JIntJOy

— Michael Bushell (@MichaelDBee) January 19, 2023

Tweeting about the fine, Lancashire Police stated, “Following the circulation of a video on social media showing an individual failing to wear a seat belt while a passenger in a moving car in Lancashire we have today (Friday, Jan 20) issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of fixed penalty.”

Following the circulation of a video on social media showing an individual failing to wear a seat belt while a passenger in a moving car in Lancashire we have today (Friday, Jan 20) issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of fixed penalty. pic.twitter.com/i2VJkFL2oL

— Lancashire Police (@LancsPolice) January 20, 2023

Fixed penalty notices, like the one issued by Lancashire Police to PM Rishi Sunak, are to be paid or contested in 28 days of issuing in the UK.

It may be pertinent to note that PM Sunak had previously been issued another penalty from the British Police for defying COVID-19 lockdown rules. Then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also fined for the same.

Passengers in the UK failing to wear a seatbelt even when one is available are can be subject to a £100 fine, media reports suggest.