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It has not been a great week for Suella Braverman.

It began on Monday with her making an inflammatory speech to activists, which Tory MPs saw as a shameless leadership bid, and then being told by colleagues to stick to the day job.

And it ended with embarrassing reports on Saturday evening that she asked civil servants to help her dodge a speeding fine, prompting accusations of a cover-up and breaking the ministerial code.

In between, Ms Braverman saw her personal approval rating plunge in a YouGov poll – and critics cruelly pointed out her right-wing populism wasn’t, in fact, very popular.

At the same time, the home secretary clashed with cabinet colleagues on migration policy and is also facing a likely onslaught from Tory right-wingers over new figures in a few days showing a sharp rise in immigration.

Now, on top of the confrontations she faces with opponents and some colleagues on policy issues, the embattled Braverman could soon be facing an inquiry into her conduct as a minister which could lead to her being sacked.

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Home sec’s double interruption

What is Suella Braverman accused of?

The charge against her is she asked civil servants to help her dodge a speeding fine, rather than pay up and take the penalty points or instead go on a speed awareness course with other drivers.

She asked her officials to arrange a private, one-to-one speed awareness course, reports suggest.

VIP treatment, in other words. But the officials said no, that wouldn’t be right. And mandarins at the Cabinet Office backed the decision of their Home Office colleagues.

Her allies don’t dispute the story, which first appeared in The Sunday Times and was also billed as an exclusive on the front of the Mail on Sunday, but say she would have had to take her protection team if she’d attended in person.

Not a particularly convincing excuse.

The Sunday Times suggested she didn’t want the inevitable publicity that would follow her attending a group session, and was worried about her insurance premiums going up. Well, sorry, Suella, bad luck.

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Is Suella Braverman looking for the top job?

PM told trigger ethics investigation

Political opponents, not surprisingly, are claiming it’s “one rule for her and another for everyone else” and want an ethics probe by Sir Laurie Magnus, the City grandee appointed by Rishi Sunak as his adviser on the ministerial code.

But Tory Brexiteer allies of the home secretary are already crying foul, claiming just like the ousting of Dominic Raab over bullying allegations, this is a case of the civil service “blob” attempting to bring down another cabinet minister.

It was, however, almost six hours after The Sunday Times published the story on its website that the Home Office eventually issued a statement attempting to repair the damage.

“Ms Braverman accepts that she was speeding last summer and regrets doing so. She took the three points and paid the fine last year,” said a spokesman.

Read more:
How much of a threat are renegade Tories to PM?

Too little, too late?

She’ll no doubt hope her belated mea culpa may draw a line under the row and perhaps take the sting out of calls for a full-blown probe by Sir Laurie, the ethics watchdog. Fat chance, as they say, of that.

As luck would have it – for her opponents, that is – the first business when the Commons sits again on Monday is… questions to the home secretary, Suella Braverman.

Popcorn at the ready.

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Ukraine presses Russia for 30-day ceasefire as Starmer among leaders in Kyiv for talks

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Ukraine presses Russia for 30-day ceasefire as Starmer among leaders in Kyiv for talks

Sir Keir Starmer has joined other European leaders in Kyiv to press Russia to agree an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

The prime minister is attending the summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, recently-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

It is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled to Ukraine at the same time – arriving in the capital by train – with their meeting hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets with French President Emanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on board a train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where all three will hold meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, May 9, 2025. Stefan Rousseau/Pool via REUTERS
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Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz travelling in the saloon car of a special train to Kyiv. Pic: Reuters

Leaders arrive in Kyiv by train. Pic: PA
Image:
Leaders arrive in Kyiv by train. Pic: PA

It comes after Donald Trump called for “ideally” a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and warned that if any pause in the fighting is not respected “the US and its partners will impose further sanctions”.

Security and defence analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News presenter Samantha Washington the European leaders are “rowing in behind” the US president, who referred to his “European allies” for the first time in this context in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“So this meeting is all about heaping pressure on the Russians to go along with the American proposal,” he said.

“It’s the closest the Europeans and the US have been for about three months on this issue.”

Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron among world leaders in Kyiv. Pic: AP
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Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron among world leaders in Kyiv. Pic: AP

Trump calls for ceasefire. Pic: Truth Social
Image:
Trump calls for ceasefire. Pic: Truth Social

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies are ready for a “full, unconditional ceasefire” for at least 30 days starting on Monday.

Ahead of the meeting on Saturday, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz released a joint statement.

European leaders show solidarity – but await Trump’s backing


Dominic Waghorn - Diplomatic editor

Dominic Waghorn

International affairs editor

@DominicWaghorn

The hope is Russia’s unilateral ceasefire, such as it’s worth, can be extended for a month to give peace a chance.

But ahead of the meeting, Ukrainian sources told Sky News they are still waiting for President Donald Trump to put his full weight behind the idea.

The US leader has said a 30-day ceasefire would be ideal, but has shown no willingness yet for putting pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin to agree.

The Russians say a ceasefire can only come after a peace deal can be reached.

European allies are still putting their hopes in a negotiated end to the war despite Moscow’s intransigence and President Trump’s apparent one-sided approach favouring Russia.

Ukrainians would prefer to be given enough economic and military support to secure victory.

But in over three years, despite its massive economic superiority to Russia and its access to more advanced military technology, Europe has not found the political will to give Kyiv the means to win.

Until they do, Vladimir Putin may decide it is still worth pursuing this war despite its massive cost in men and materiel on both sides.

“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,” they said.

“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.”

Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP
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Sir Keir and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP

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Putin’s Victory Day parade explained

The leaders said they were “ready to support peace talks as soon as possible”.

But they warned that they would continue to “ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine” until Moscow agrees to a lasting ceasefire.

“We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come,” their statement added.

“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine.”

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The European leaders are set to visit the Maidan, a central square in Ukraine’s capital where flags represent those who died in the war.

They are also expected to host a virtual meeting for other leaders in the “coalition of the willing” to update them on progress towards a peacekeeping force.

Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for a coalition, which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.

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This force “would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace”, according to Number 10.

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Special constable jailed after taking pictures of dying man from bodycam footage

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Special constable jailed after taking pictures of dying man from bodycam footage

A special constable has been jailed after taking pictures on his phone from bodycam footage showing a dying man.

Former police volunteer William Heggs, 23, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court on Friday after showing the photos of victim William Harty, 28, to a female colleague and storing them on his Snapchat account.

Mr Harty was found seriously injured in a residential street in Leicester on 25 October 2021 and Heggs had attended the scene, helping with CPR before paramedics arrived.

Mr Harty died in hospital a day later and the man responsible for his injuries, his brother-in-law Martin Casey, was subsequently convicted of his manslaughter.

Heggs showed the pictures he had taken of bodycam footage of Mr Harty’s body to a Leicestershire Police constable, who reported Heggs and said she did not like seeing blood.

His phone was seized and officers discovered other photographs and video clips of bodyworn footage of incidents Heggs had attended on duty, including of a knife seizure, use of baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid.

He also took pictures of a police computer screen, showing details of crimes and suspects, without consent.

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Heggs stored the materials in a Snapchat folder and disclosed graphic details – most of which were not in the public domain – about the injuries to a woman who was killed in a road traffic collision he had attended, to a friend on the social media platform.

Heggs was suspended from the force in November 2021 and resigned in October 2024 before pleading guilty to 11 computer misuse and data protection offences this March.

Widow Mandy Casey. Pic: PA
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William Harty’s widow Mandy Casey. Pic: PA

‘He has traumatised me’

Mr Harty’s widow, Mandy Casey, said in a victim impact statement read to the court that Heggs “took (her) husband’s dignity when he was most vulnerable”.

“You don’t take someone’s dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.”

She continued: “When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.”

Ms Casey said she was still scared that photos of her husband’s body might appear on social media.

She added that she had lost trust in the police.

Public trust in police ‘significantly undermined’

Judge Timothy Spencer told Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, that he was “probably too immature to be working as a police officer” as he handed down the sentence.

He said Heggs had received “extensive training”, including on the importance of data protection, and knew he should only share materials for “a genuine policing purpose”.

Heggs’s actions had “significantly undermined” public trust and confidence in police, according to the judge.

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Iranian arrested in counter-terror probe

Malcolm McHaffie, from the Crown Prosecution Service, added: “William Heggs abused the public’s trust in the office he held as a special police constable.

“He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers.”

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Man charged with murder after 87-year-old dies following alleged robbery

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Man charged with murder after 87-year-old dies following alleged robbery

A man has been charged with the murder of an 87-year-old after an alleged robbery in north London, police say.

Peter Augustine, 58, of Hornsey, is accused of killing pensioner John Mackey in Manor House.

Augustine appeared at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Saturday charged with murder and robbery.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey next week.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to a report of a robbery on Goodchild Road just before 6pm on Tuesday.

The London Ambulance Service attended the scene and an 87-year-old man was taken to hospital, where he died on Thursday.

The victim’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

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Speaking at the scene on Friday, neighbour Sandra Murphy, 65, described Mr Mackey as a “beautiful, kind man”, who “would do anything for anyone”.

“He was so loved around here. No-one would have a bad word to say about John,” she said.

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