LONDON: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was fined by police after he posted a video to his Instagram showing him not wearing a seatbelt, reports said.
Lancashire Police said it had issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of a fixed penalty, the BBC reports.
Downing Street said the Prime Minister will pay the fine and “fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised," The Mirror reports.
In the UK, passengers caught failing to wear a seatbelt while in a car, unless covered by a valid medical exemption, can be given an on-the-spot fine of 100 pounds, increasing to 500 pounds if the case goes to court.
"That was a brief error of judgement. The PM removed his seat belt to film a small clip. He fully accepts this was a mistake and apologises about it," Sunak's spokesperson said.
"The Prime Minister believes everyone should wear a seat belt," the spokesperson added.
Sunak filmed a video to promote his government's new Levelling Up Fund announcements to fund over 100 projects around the country.
Police motorbikes could be seen escorting his car as he addressed the camera.
The Opposition Labour Party said the latest incident added to "endless painful viewing" after a previous video appeared to show Sunak struggling to make a contactless payment with his card.
"Rishi Sunak doesn't know how to manage a seat belt, his debit card, a train service, the economy, this country. This list is growing every day, and it's making for endless painful viewing," a Labour spokesperson said.
It came at the end of a day during which he also came under Opposition fire for using a Royal Air Force (RAF) jet to fly to the north of the country.
Downing Street insisted the use of the aircraft was to ensure the best use of the Prime Minister's time.
(With inputs from PTI)