Braverman attempts a cover up.

GSM no of course not- we’re given a bunch of distorted information.
I am probably the only person here who is very worried by the politicisation of the Civil Serpents.

Do we have any idea what level of cs was involved? Could have been one of her secretaries.

I see nothing wrong with her asking if it was possible.

What are the odds that the civil servant in question was the one in charge of Suella Braverman’s diary?

I am slightly confused that civil servants are not supposed to do anything for their Ministers.

Who has said this? There are is an entire world between not doing something that personally (ie, a matter relating to their personal life) benefits a Minister and not doing anything for Ministers.

GSM, so not the same at all then. The alleged breach of Ministerial Code is because of Braverman trying to get civil servants to take action for something personal.

👏👏👏

geeljay

What a load of nonsense, over something so trivial. The usual lynch mob gather to fire their arrows. There is war in Ukraine and the cost of living is beating us all. A spokesman said when a famous person needs a speed awareness course, they sometimes offer one to one to avoid the press!

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
It’s taking precedence over everything really serious going on in the world and in this country.Crazy stuff!

Wyllow3

She could have actually made it into the opposite, as in "mea culpa", attend the course publicly, and tho there might have been a bit of publicity, "virtue signalled" and made a point of saying how bad she realised speeding was.

but no - she tried to hide it. And got public servants to try.
"Convenience?" My hat.

I very much agree with this.

Far better to have ‘owned up’ at the time, been seen to attend the course (alongside ‘ordinary offenders’).

It could have turned into a real positive, instead it’s prevarication, half truths, dodging the questions….

Honesty is the best policy.

Why can they not realise that?

I don't think speeding is trivial. Speed limits are set for safety reasons and I do wish national speed limits were lowered for country lanes. I think some drivers forget they could turn the conner and be confronted by a family out walking, or a horse or cyclist.

Am I alone in thinking it really isn't difficult to stay within the allocated speed limit?

What a load of nonsense, over something so trivial. The usual lynch mob gather to fire their arrows. There is war in Ukraine and the cost of living is beating us all. A spokesman said when a famous person needs a speed awareness course, they sometimes offer one to one to avoid the press!

Points on your license can increase your insurance premium. Not relevant in this case, but something to take into account if caught speeding.

I'm wondering how long Sunak will allow this loose cannon to continue to trundle around the Conservative deck until he decides it might be safer to throw it overboard... particularly as he's beginning to realise that it's pointing in his direction. Just getting the feeling that the "distancing" may already have started. Watch this space.

Maisie thank you, I know it is silly to be upset specially as I have now found practically everyone I know has been caught over the years. I have had my car key adjusted so the speed comes up in large numbers rather than just relying on the speed dial. No more empty country lanes on beautiful sunny mornings for me ☹️

Speed awareness courses are offered for those offenders at the lower scale of speeding.

ronib

NotSpaghetti do you think it’s possible that SB’s office did not know about the speeding violation? After all, why on earth should they know when it is a PRIVATE matter after all. It would have been so wrong for SB to have involved her publicly funded staff surely?

Maybe they shouldn't have said NO then (to 4 separate enquiries apparently) - maybe they should have said I don't know?

As it was they not only denied it but said it was a smear campaign

As others said earlier. It's the cover-up that seems stupid and duplicitous. It's a no-story story if it wasn't for the cover-up.

He’s a solicitor well known for getting people off traffic offences Siope. Hence the nickname. His knowledge and experience are relevant.

NotSpaghetti

MaizieD

The course is a privilege and not offered to everyone apparently. I can't remember who gets offered it. It's a way of getting out of fines and points.

The course is offered if you haven''t done one before and have a clean licence (it's possible to have had points before which have expired). It doesn't get you off the fine, it's just a cheaper fine if you do the course. It only lets you off the points.

This may be the reason some are offered and some aren't.

I dont know why you think I'm completely wrong Primrose.
Whether you are offered a course or not is up to the police/prosecution people. I'm pretty sure it's not a right.

You can take a speed awareness course every 3.5 years, if you get a speeding fine before the end of the 3.5 years you will receive the appropriate points on your license.

Germanshepherdsmum

Just listened to an interview with ‘Mr Loophole’. He said he has arranged one to one speed awareness courses for high profile clients on the basis that their presence would distract others from what they are there to do.

Yes you are correct that so called high profile people can apply for a one to one speed awareness course.

I am slightly confused that civil servants are not supposed to do anything for their Ministers. Do all Ministers employ non civil servant PA’s to overcome this?

MaizieD

^The course is a privilege and not offered to everyone apparently. I can't remember who gets offered it. It's a way of getting out of fines and points.^

The course is offered if you haven''t done one before and have a clean licence (it's possible to have had points before which have expired). It doesn't get you off the fine, it's just a cheaper fine if you do the course. It only lets you off the points.

This may be the reason some are offered and some aren't.

I dont know why you think I'm completely wrong Primrose.
Whether you are offered a course or not is up to the police/prosecution people. I'm pretty sure it's not a right.

I’ve no idea you you are referring to.

Is he a government minister? If he is, did he, or did he not, ask civil servants to breach the Civil Service code of conduct by acting in the private interests of a Minister? Because that is where the breach of the Ministerial Code would be if this allegations are true.

If he is not, his actions (if one believes them) are irrelevant.

Just listened to an interview with ‘Mr Loophole’. He said he has arranged one to one speed awareness courses for high profile clients on the basis that their presence would distract others from what they are there to do.

The accusations are that she tried to use her privileged position to get staff in her department - which is, let’s not forget, the one responsible for ensuring that everyone is treated equally in law - to arrange something specifically for her that would been she was not being treated equally. She didn’t ask them to find out is something was possible, she asked them to arrange special treatment.

When they refused - thus upholding due impartiality, as advised by the Cabinet Office’s ethics team - she allegedly asked one of her political aides to help. That person (who has no impartiality, or apparently ethical, remit, actually asked the course provider if his/her boss could be given special and preferential treatment because of her political position and was refused.

Whether these accusations are true or not, I don’t know (and nor do any of us). They surely, however, warrant investigation to prove or disprove their validity. I find it hard to believe that people would think otherwise.

Yet another hyped up story by the press. She didn’t try to get out of it, she just wanted some security given her position. There are far far more important issues going on in the world than this that should be reported on.

It must have been 30 years ago Maizie. I have no idea what the rules about hiding were at the time. He stopped me and gave me a lecture before checking the tyres. It made me late for work :-(. Every time I drive along that road, I keep my eye on the speedometer to make sure the needle is on 30 - I'd probably be safer if I kept my eye on the road!