A Tory MP has brazenly attacked "politically motivated" complaints as police look into a video of the Prime Minister not wearing a seatbelt.
Scott Benton said the “vast majority of people” would not think it was a “good use of frontline resources” after Lancashire Police said they would consider the incident.
But the MP for Blackpool South was among those pushing for Keir Starmer to be investigated over a photo showing him drinking a beer with colleagues during lockdown.
Tory MPs were accused of “pressuring” Durham Police to probe the Labour leader over the incident - which was dubbed "Beergate".
Mr Benton, at the time, said: “All people, and politicians should be treated equally under the law.
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"There’s a very compelling argument to suggest that this hasn’t been the case and Keir’s beers should be re-investigated.”
Keir Starmer came under fire over a picture of him drinking a beer with colleagues during lockdown (Getty Images)My Starmer was found to have done nothing wrong, however Mr Sunak was fined by the Metropolitan Police over lockdown parties in Downing Street a few months before.
It emerged last night that police will "look into" a video of Rishi Sunak not wearing a seatbelt in a moving car after the PM was forced into an embarrassing apology.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister, who posted the clip on social media, said it "was a brief error of judgement".
Wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement for all drivers and passengers. Not wearing one can carry a fine of up to £500.
Mr Benton tweeted: “[Lancashire Police] do an amazing job, but I’m sure their time is better spent investigating serious crime which impacts on my constituents.
“The vast majority of people would think that politically motivated complaints about a seat belt are not good use of frontline resources.”
Asked whether Mr Sunak agrees with Mr Benton, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said: "It's entirely a matter for the police. It's not a matter for me."
When pressed about whether the Prime Minister has a problem with breaking the law, he added: "I've been clear that he has acknowledged it was a mistake and he has apologised."
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His spokesman said yesterday that Mr Sunak removed the seatbelt “for a short period of time to film a clip which you've seen but he accepts that's a mistake".
The Prime Minister uploaded the video, understood to have been filmed in Lancashire, to his official account, which has 1.3million followers.
A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: "We are aware of the matter and we will be looking into it."
Labour said it would be "very serious" if Mr Sunak was to receive a second fine, having paid a fixed-penalty notice during the "partygate" scandal while Chancellor.
There are a few exemptions for failing to wear a belt, including when a car is being used for police, fire and rescue services and for certified medical issues.
Downing Street said it does not believe there is an exception for travelling in a ministerial car.
Rishi Sunak received a fine for attending a party in Downing Street during lockdown (Getty Images)Labour frontbencher Nick Thomas-Symonds told Sky News: "It is very serious, it says a great deal about the depths of which this Conservative Government has sunk that we're here talking about the Prime Minister on potentially his second police fine.
"That's just the evidence we need to clean up politics."
Road groups including the AA warned that "no matter who you are, it is important to wear your seatbelt".
It topped off a day of gaffes as the Prime Minister was criticised for taking his taxpayer-funded private jet to fly around the North of England the same morning.
A Labour spokesperson said: “Rishi Sunak isn’t even trying to hide these recklessly expensive habits anymore.
"Jetting around the country on taxpayers' money like an A-list celeb rather than catching a train like the rest of us is simply absurd.”
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: "It seems like the PM is getting too used to flying around in private jets that he's forgotten to wear a seatbelt in a car.
"The fact he's breaking a basic law is just embarrassing and frankly dangerous."
Last year Mr Sunak was fined by the Metropolitan Police for attending a gathering to mark the then-PM's 56th birthday in spite of the coronavirus restrictions in place.
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