• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Minister torn apart for claiming PM’s Partygate fine is like speeding ticket

Brandon Lewis tried to claim that lots of politicians had incurred penalty notices over the years and stayed in the job.

Henry Goodwin by Henry Goodwin
2022-04-19 10:59
in Politics
Credit;PA

Credit;PA

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Boris Johnson being fined for breaking the coronavirus rules he set is similar to former ministers receiving speeding fines, a Cabinet minister appeared to suggest.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said other ministers, including former prime minister Tony Blair, had received fixed-penalty notices  and remained in office.

Johnson, along with his wife Carrie Johnson and Rishi Sunak, were fined by the Metropolitan Police for attending a birthday party thrown in his honour in the Cabinet room in June 2020, while coronavirus restrictions were in place.

Lewis told Sky News the Prime Minister was not the first No 10 incumbent to receive a penalty for a legal infringement.

Speeding ticket comparison

“I think we do see consistently, whether it is through parking fines or speeding fines, ministers of both parties over the years have been in that position,” said the former Conservative Party chairman.

“We’ve had prime ministers in the past who have received penalty notices, from what I can see, and also front bench ministers.

“I saw there was a parking notice that Tony Blair had once. We’ve seen front bench Labour ministers and, let’s be frank, Government ministers as well.”

RelatedPosts

Labor win presents ‘great opportunity’ in fight to free Julian Assange

‘A rare Murdoch defeat’: Reaction as Scott Morrison accepts defeat in Australian elections

Labor topples Conservatives in Australia as Scott Morrison suffers defeat

Former Tory Party leader calls for benefits to be boosted in line with inflation

He added: “You’ve asked me, can someone who sets the laws and the rules, can they also be someone who breaks the rules?

“That clearly has happened with a number of ministers over the years.”

Questioned about his choice of response on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Lewis replied: “I’m not in any way trying to equate a speeding ticket with the sacrifices people have made through Covid.”

He was torn apart by the BBC’s Mishal Hussein over the suggestion, who told him he had “literally just done that”.

Mishal Husain rips Brandon Lewis apart over his parking fine claims.

Brandon Lewis – Labour & Tory ministers have received speeding fines.. I'm not equating speeding fines with the sacrifices people have made during covid

MH – "You've literally just done that"#r4today pic.twitter.com/syGI7HDR68

— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) April 19, 2022

‘No end of people in tears’

Senior opposition MPs also weighed in to say there was a “massive difference” between a Covid FPN and a speeding ticket.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions, told ITV’s Lorraine programme: “I have never had anybody break down in front of me because they couldn’t drive at 35mph in a 30mph zone; I have had no end of people in tears – in real bits – about complying with rules that really, really hurt them.”

Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the Northern Ireland Secretary’s response was an “insult to bereaved families and all those who made huge sacrifices while Johnson partied”.

The prime minister is due to address the Commons on Tuesday as he attempts to convince his critics there are bigger issues to focus on than the Partygate saga.

It is thought he will apologise for the rule breaching but emphasise the need to deal with the crisis in Ukraine and unlawful migration.

Johnson will face pressure to address criticisms that he misled Parliament – an offence traditionally seen as a resigning matter for ministers – in previous statements about rule-breaking in No 10, during which he argued Covid guidance had been followed at all times.

Related: High rollers offered more, bigger pay rises than low earners, survey reveals

Tags: Boris Johnson

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

PM faces calls to sack Cummings after 260-mile flout of lockdown rules

Thunderball Results for Wednesday 6 April 2022 Tonight’s winning numbers

MEPs hear how cross border spycops can “move into your home, your family”

‘Bodies piling up’ comments show inquiry ‘needed now’ as majority regard PM ‘untrustworthy’ in poll

Study reveals how shift work affects pregnant women

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon backs people’s vote

Beer of the Week: Hop Stuff Unfiltered Pils

London’s largest estate agents go all-electric

Six teenage girls criticised over ‘distracting’ skirts – in front of 200 pupils – had best response

UK Weather forecast, Thursday 26 August 2021

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.