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Suella Braverman is to remain in her post as home secretary after the prime minister said “further investigation is not necessary” into her handling of a speeding offence.

In his letter to the home secretary, the prime minister said he had consulted with his independent ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, who advised that “on this occasion further investigation is not necessary” and that he had “accepted that advice”.

Mr Sunak had been facing pressure to take action against Ms Braverman after The Sunday Times reported that she allegedly asked civil servants to arrange a private one-to-one awareness course after she was caught speeding last summer – a move critics said could amount to a breach of the ministerial code.

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What is the ministerial code?

But Mr Sunak said that after receiving a letter from Ms Braverman – in which she apologised for causing “distraction” – “my decision is that these matters do not amount to a breach of the ministerial code”.

However, acknowledging the row that ensued following the reports, he added: “As you have recognised, a better course of action could have been taken to avoid giving rise to the perception of impropriety.”

‘A better course of action could have been taken’ – politics latest

Mr Sunak immediately came under criticism for his decision, which the Liberal Democrats branded a “cowardly cop-out”.

In the exchange of letters, the home secretary admitted that “if faced with a similar situation again, I would have chosen a different course of action”.

She said she had “at all times been truthful and transparent, and taken decisions guided by what I believed was right and appropriate given my office, not by any personal motivation”.

The Sunday Times reported that instead of signing up for an in-person speed awareness 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.

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PM asked home secretary for ‘further info’

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

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

Ms Braverman said she “sought to explore whether bespoke arrangements were possible” due to her “personal circumstances” and the security she receives as a government minister.

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“I recognise how some people have construed this as me seeking to avoid sanction – at no point was that the intention or outcome,” she said.

“Nonetheless, given the fundamental importance of integrity in public life, I deeply regret that my actions may have given rise to that perception, and I apologise for the distraction this has caused.”

Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said that “with every scandal, we see the prime minister dither, delay and flip-flop – never taking decisive action”.

“This is not the leadership the country needs during such a severe cost of living crisis. Sunak is too weak to even order an investigation, let alone sack his home secretary,” she said.

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What has Suella Braverman allegedly done wrong?
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“Sunak had the chance to do the right thing but instead he’s once again chosen to be ruled by his own hardline backbenchers. He may be in office but he is barely in power.”

Labour MP Angela Eagle said the decision was “weak, weak, weak” – echoing Tony Blair’s criticism of John Major when he was prime minister.

Chris Bryant, the Labour chair of parliament’s standards committee, tweeted: “This is extraordinary and shows neither professionalism nor integrity.”

The Labour MP was referring to a pledge Mr Sunak made on becoming prime minster in which he promised that “integrity, professionalism and accountability” would be at the heart of his government following the scandals that erupted under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.

Ms Braverman has escaped investigation but the prime minister did launch probes into Nadhim Zahawi and Dominic Raab, who both lost their roles as party chair and justice secretary respectively.

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‘No other drug does this amount of damage so quickly to your kidneys and bladder’: How party drug is destroying lives

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Tasers to be used in prisons to tackle ‘unacceptably high’ levels of violence

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Tasers to be used in prisons to tackle 'unacceptably high' levels of violence

Tasers can be used in prisons for the first time to tackle “unacceptably high” levels of violence, as part of a new trial.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said she is “determined to keep prison staff safe”.

Specialist officers from two bases in Oxfordshire and Doncaster can now be deployed to incidents in adult male prisons in England and Wales, equipped with Tasers.

In a demonstration hostage situation, officers used pyrotechnics to distract an aggressive inmate
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In a demonstration hostage situation, officers used pyrotechnics to distract an aggressive inmate

Officers tackled an aggressive 'inmate' after he was distracted by pyrotechnics
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Officers tackled an aggressive ‘inmate’ after he was distracted by pyrotechnics in the demonstration

Reporters attending a demonstration were shown how they could be used in certain scenarios, where there is a threat to safety, including hostage situations or riots, and where multiple people are involved in “mass disorder”.

One demonstration involved four prisoners who had become disruptive in the exercise yard.

After staff were forced to withdraw, three inmates turned on one and it was deemed there was an “immediate threat to life.”

Officers gave verbal warnings before deploying the Tasers at a distance.

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This trial will use the Taser 7 model, which is what police officers currently use.

It can generate 50,000 volts when triggered, but drops to about 1,500 volts when hitting the target.

In a separate hostage situation, officers used pyrotechnics which produced loud bangs and smoke to distract an aggressive “inmate” before putting them in handcuffs.

An 'inmate' is tackled by a security officer during a role-play demostration
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An ‘inmate’ is tackled by a security officer during a simulation

At first, specialist national officers from the two bases can be deployed if such incidents occur.

It’s understood at the moment these teams get 800 callouts a year – averaging just over two a day.

The trial will run until enough data is collected to determine whether Tasers should be rolled out more widely.

Ms Mahmood said she intends to have further updates in the autumn and will “consider” whether local staff inside jails can use them.

“From my perspective, this is very much the beginning,” she said.

Violence in prisons has been rising. In the 12 months to December there were 10,605 assaults on staff, a rise of 13% on the year before and a new peak. Serious assaults were also up 10% on the previous 12 months.

An 'inmate' is tackled by a security officer during a role-play demostration
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A security officer demonstrates the Taser in use

Earlier this year, Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi attacked prison staff at the high-security jail HMP Frankland, using hot cooking oil and homemade, or improvised, weapons.

The justice secretary said the incident at Frankland “forced the pace” of further measures to tackle violence.

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana also allegedly attacked a member of staff at HMP Belmarsh by pouring hot water over them from inside his cell.

The Prison Officers Association (POA) union urged ministers to consider protective equipment and stab vests for staff.

Read more:
Tories call for Tasers to be used in prisons
‘Bleak’ prison in special measures

Last month, the government announced the use of body armour at certain units in high-security jails, which house some of the most dangerous inmates.

But while “grateful” for a “step in the right direction”, the POA don’t think the new measure goes far enough – and instead want specialist staff inside jails trained to use Tasers.

“It is pointless a national response being several hours away if, locally, Taser is needed to immediately preserve life and combat threat,” Mark Fairhurst, the POA’s national chairman said.

Whitehall wants to consider the “lessons” from this trial before any potential further rollout.

Ms Mahmood pointed out that while Tasers have been used for many years by the police, “a custodial setting is different to usage in other scenarios”.

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Paul Gallagher, older brother of Oasis stars Noel and Liam, is charged with offences including rape

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Paul Gallagher, older brother of Oasis stars Noel and Liam, is charged with offences including rape

Paul Gallagher, the older brother of Oasis stars Noel and Liam, has been charged with multiple offences including rape.

The Metropolitan Police said Gallagher, 59, of East Finchley, north London, has been charged with rape, coercive and controlling behaviour, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of intentional strangulation, two counts of making a threat to kill and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The offences are reported to have taken place between 2022 and 2024. The charges follow an investigation which began last year, the force added in a statement.

A woman is being supported by specially-trained officers, the statement continued.

Paul Gallagher, who is about one year older than Noel and seven years older than Liam, has never been involved in Oasis.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 27 August.

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