Home secretary Suella Braverman allegedly asked civil servants to arrange a private one-to-one speed awareness course after being caught speeding last year.
Ms Braverman said in the Commons on Monday that she “paid the fine” and “took the penalty”, adding: “at no point did I attempt to evade sanction”.
But prime minister Rishi Sunak is now being urged to launch an investigation into the allegations and Labour leader Keir Starmer said Ms Braverman should resign if she’s found to have breached the ministerial code.
So, what is the speeding row about and what could happen next?
FactCheck takes a look.
What is the speeding row about?
Suella Braverman was caught speeding in June last year – when she was Attorney General – and was offered the choice of either a fine and points on her driving licence, or a speed awareness course.
A government source told the BBC the senior minister had been “concerned” about her insurance premiums and preferred doing a course.
But she allegedly then asked civil servants about arranging a course for just her and asked a special adviser to try to arrange a one-on-one course, but was told it was not a matter for the civil service.
It’s reported she then opted to pay the fine and accept the points when the course provider told her there was no option to do a private course.
But the prime minister is now being urged to launch an investigation into Ms Braverman’s actions as she may have broken the ministerial code if she did ask civil servants to get involved.
The ministerial code sets standards of conduct expected of ministers, including that they aren’t supposed to ask civil servants for help with private matters.
The Code says: “Ministers must uphold the political impartiality of the Civil Service, and not ask civil servants to act in any way which would conflict with the Civil Service Code and the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.”
During Home Office questions on 22 May, Ms Braverman repeatedly answered questions from other MPs about the allegations with: “As I said earlier, last summer I was speeding. I regret that. I paid the fine and I took the penalty. At no point did I attempt to evade sanction.”
And in an interview for broadcasters on the same day, when asked about the allegations, she said: “I’m very confident nothing untoward has happened.”
What could happen next?
Mr Sunak held talks with his ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, about the matter on Monday and also spoke to Ms Braverman directly.
The prime minister has yet to decide whether there will be an investigation” on whether there will be an investigation.
If there is an investigation then the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg, will decide whether Ms Braverman has breached the Code of Conduct.
If the Commissioner concludes there has been a breach, but considers it on the less serious end of the spectrum, Ms Braverman will simply have to acknowledge it and apologise.
But if the Commissioner finds a serious breach, they can refer it to the Parliamentary Standards Committee.
The Standards Committee would then make its own findings, and could impose a sanction – including withholding of salary or suspension from the House of Commons for a specific period.
