Connect with us

Published

on

Suella Braverman has insisted “nothing untoward happened” as she faces questions over whether she asked civil servants to help her dodge a group speeding awareness course.

The comments are the first made by the home secretary since The Sunday Times reported that she asked civil servants to arrange a private one-to-one speed awareness course for her after she was caught speeding last summer.

Rishi Sunak has faced pressure to discipline Ms Braverman after opposition parties accused her of breaching the ministerial code.

Ms Braverman was today asked by reporters whether she asked civil servants to arrange a private awareness course after she was caught for speeding – something she did not directly deny.

“First and foremost, I’m focused on the priorities for the British people as home secretary – that’s cutting serious crime with more police officers, that’s standing up for victims of child sexual abuse,” she said. “It’s about stopping the boats.

“And I’m not going to take a backward step from working on those issues.”

Sunak ‘still updating himself’ on Braverman story – politics latest

More on Conservatives

She added: “In relation to your question, last summer, I was speeding, I regret that, I paid the fine and I took the points, but we’re focused now on delivering for the British people and working for them.”

Asked whether she would welcome an investigation into her behaviour, the home secretary replied by saying she would “appreciate the focus on an announcement which is standing up for victims and survivors”.

“In relation to the speeding tickets in my fine and points, I’m very confident nothing untoward happened.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Home secretary is asked if she has ‘any regrets’ over speeding fine scandal

Responding to the mounting pressure, Downing Street said Mr Sunak had now spoken to his ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, about the row engulfing the home secretary.

However, as of yet no official inquiry has been launched.

Asked whether Mr Sunak had “full confidence” in Ms Braverman, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “Yes, they continue to work closely on public priorities.”

And pressed on whether the prime minister felt that ministers should set a good example by following the law, the spokesman replied: “Everyone should follow the law always, however he [the prime minister] is still updating himself on information.”

Read more:
It’s hard to envision Sunak removing Braverman and risking a showdown – but it doesn’t mean it’s comfortable
Popcorn at the ready, Suella Braverman’s bad week could be followed by a very tough one indeed

The claims against Ms Braverman broke in the The Sunday Times over the weekend while the prime minister was at the G7 summit in Japan.

The newspaper reported that instead of signing up for an in-person course with other motorists, or completing one online that would show her name and face to other participants, Ms Braverman allegedly asked civil servants to arrange a private one-to-one course.

When the civil servants refused, she reportedly sought help from a political aide, who requested the course organiser provide a private session, or allowed her to use an alias or turn her camera off.

When the provider refused, Ms Braverman opted to take the three points on her licence, the paper reported.

A spokesman for the home secretary said Ms Braverman “accepts that she was speeding last summer and regrets doing so”.

“She took the three points and paid the fine last year,” they added.

Ms Braverman is due to face MPs when she takes Home Office questions in the Commons this afternoon.

Continue Reading

UK

League table of foreign criminals awaiting deportation and their offences set to be published

Published

on

By

League table of foreign criminals awaiting deportation and their offences set to be published

A league table of foreign criminals and their offences is set to be published for the first time.

The plans, due to be announced on Tuesday, will reportedly focus on those offenders awaiting deportation from the UK.

The latest data shows there were 19,244 foreign offenders awaiting deportation at the end of 2024, a rise from 17,907 when the Conservatives left office in July and 14,640 at the end of 2022.

Despite more offenders being deported since Labour came to power, the number waiting to be removed from the UK has been growing.

Factors are understood to include the early release of inmates due to prison overcrowding, instability and diplomatic problems in some countries and a backlog of legal cases appealing deportation.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the decision to publish the nationalities of foreign criminals showed Labour had “buckled” under pressure from the Conservatives to disclose the data.

The latest government statistics show there were 10,355 foreign nationals held in custody in England and Wales at the end of 2024, representing 12% of the prison population.

More on Crime

The most common nationalities after British nationals were Albanian (11%), Polish (8%), Romanian (7%), which also represented the top three nationalities who were deported from the UK in 2024, according to Home Office figures.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is understood to have ordered officials to release the details by the end of the year, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The newspaper reported Ms Cooper overruled Home Office officials, who previously claimed it was too difficult to provide quality data on foreign criminals.

A Home Office source said: “Not only are we deporting foreign criminals at a rate never seen when Chris Philp and Robert Jenrick were in charge at the Home Office, but we will also be publishing far more information about that cohort of offenders than the Tories ever did.”

The source added that ministers wanted “to ensure the public is kept better informed about the number of foreign criminals awaiting deportation, where they are from and the crimes they have committed”.

In March, the government announced £5m in funding to deploy staff to 80 jails in England and Wales to speed up the deportation of foreign offenders.

Read more from Sky News:
‘Return hubs’ get UN backing
Sex offender allowed to stay in UK
Woman born in UK faces being deported

Foreign nationals sentenced to 12 months or more in prison are subject to automatic deportation, but the home secretary can also remove criminals if their presence in the UK is not considered desirable.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick welcomed the news, saying: “We will finally see the hard reality that mass migration is fuelling crime across our country… Frankly, the public deserved to know this [detail on foreign criminals] long ago.”

Continue Reading

UK

Rachel Reeves to head to Washington amid hopes of US trade deal

Published

on

By

Rachel Reeves to head to Washington amid hopes of US trade deal

Rachel Reeves will pledge to “stand up for Britain’s national interest” as she heads to Washington DC amid hopes of a UK/US trade deal.

The chancellor will fly to the US capital for her spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the first of which began on Sunday.

During her three-day visit, Ms Reeves is set to hold meetings with G7, G20 and IMF counterparts about the changing global economy and is expected to make the case for open trade.

Politics latest: Tributes paid to Pope Francis

Her visit comes after Donald Trump imposed blanket 10% tariffs on all imports into the US, including from the UK, and as talks about reaching a trade deal intensified.

The chancellor will also hold her first in-person meeting with her US counterpart, treasury secretary Scott Bessent, about striking a new trade agreement, which the UK hopes will take the sting out of Mr Trump’s tariffs.

In addition to the 10% levy on all goods imported to America from the UK, Mr Trump enacted a 25% levy on car imports.

Ms Reeves will also be hoping to encourage fellow European finance ministers to increase their defence spending and discuss the best ways to support Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Read more:
Mission: Impossible? Chancellor heads to the IMF

Starmer and the King pay tribute to Pope Francis

Speaking ahead of her visit, Ms Reeves said: “The world has changed, and we are in a new era of global trade. I am in no doubt that the imposition of tariffs will have a profound impact on the global economy and the economy at home.

“This changing world is unsettling for families who are worried about the cost of living and businesses concerned about what tariffs will mean for them. But our task as a government is not to be knocked off course or to take rash action which risks undermining people’s security.

“Instead, we must rise to meet the moment and I will always act to defend British interests as part of our plan for change.

“We need a world economy that provides stability and fairness for businesses wanting to invest and trade, more trade and global partnerships between nations with shared interests, and security for working people who want to get on with their lives.”

Continue Reading

UK

Murder arrest after woman stabbed to death in Enfield – as victim named

Published

on

By

Murder arrest after woman stabbed to death in Enfield - as victim named

A woman who was stabbed to death in north London has been named by police – as a man was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Pamela Munro, 45, was found with a stab wound and died at the scene in Ayley Croft, Enfield, on Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police said.

A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday and is in custody, the force added.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: “Investigating officers have worked relentlessly across the weekend to investigate the circumstances around Pamela’s death.

“We continue to support her family who are understandably devastated.”

GVs from SN footage on 20/04/2025 at scene of murder on 19/04/2025 of woman at Gainsborough House, Ayley Croft, Enfield in north London.
Ingest 25 NM25 SKY SAF ENFIELD MURDER GVS ENFIELD 2045
Image:
Police at the scene at Ayley Croft in Enfield

Read more from Sky News:
Fresh appeal over student’s murder
100 firefighters battle flats blaze

The Met Police has asked anyone with information or who was driving through Ayley Court between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday and may have dashcam footage to contact the force.

Continue Reading

Trending