MPs Facing Backlash for Expensing Traffic Fines at Taxpayers’ Expense

DThree MPs from Britain’s ruling Conservative party have put traffic fines on their expense claims and let the taxpayer pay them; a member of parliament from the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) did the same.

The four MPs, which include Amanda Solloway, Parliamentary Secretary of State for Energy Affairs, have been asked to reimburse the amounts. More than two years ago, Solloway billed a traffic fine of around 90 euros as expenses. A second member of parliament did this in two cases and a third in four cases.

The Independent Authority for the Control of Parliamentary Standards (IPSA), which initially approved the payment of the fines, has now made it clear that the payment was a mistake and that traffic fines will not be reimbursed in future.

Traffic offense Bravermans

The events were made public by the London newspaper Independent Tage after a different lapse by British Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who was also threatened with paying a fine and three points in the traffic offender file for speeding last year.

Braverman, who had been Attorney General for England and Wales at the time, opted instead for the option of retraining in traffic. After she became Minister of the Interior, she had concerns about whether it would be appropriate for her to take part in speed-reduction training, which is usually held in small groups.

She had security concerns and feared for her private life, so she asked the officials at government headquarters if there were other ways to resolve the matter. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak needed a few days of thought before backing her up.

Sunak wrote to Braverman, who eventually accepted the points and paid the fine, that he had discussed compliance with the Ministerial Code with his independent adviser, who found no violation of the rules had occurred.

This was followed by a warning to his Home Secretary that it would have been better if she had avoided even creating the appearance of impropriety. “Integrity, professionalism and accountability are core values ​​of this government,” the prime minister stated in his letter a week ago, adding that “when incidents come to light” it is right to examine them thoroughly and professionally to ensure that the right ones are dealt with conclusions would be drawn from it.