Tonight:
4°c
Harriet Harman was given strong backing by Gordon Brown today after she denied breaking the law by crashing her car while using a mobile.
The Prime Minister rang her last night to express his support and today Downing Street said he had “full confidence” in the Commons leader.
Ms Harman has been told she will receive a summons to be tried on charges of driving without due care and attention and driving while using a hand-held mobile telephone.
But Mr Brown's official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has full confidence in her... and said he is very supportive of her.”
Laws banning driving with a mobile phone were introduced in 2003 when Ms Harman, MP for Camberwell and Peckham, was Solicitor General.
The alleged offence happened in Dulwich on the afternoon of 3 July. A spokeswoman for Ms Harman said: “Ms Harman strongly refutes the allegations.”
Driving without due care and attention carries a maximum fine of £5,000 and an endorsement of up to nine points on your licence. The maximum penalties for driving while using a mobile phone are a £1,000 fine and three points.
Ms Harman has several previous driving convictions. She was banned from driving for seven days and fined £400 after admitting speeding at 99mph on the M4 near Swindon in January 2003.
The penalty, which was criticised by motorists' organisations as too lenient, was issued just as it was announced that court fines should be more closely linked to offenders' incomes.
She was also fined £60 and given three penalty points for exceeding a temporary speed limit in April 2007.
A CPS statement said today: “The Crown Prosecution Service has decided there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to prosecute.”
Reader views (1)
This whole Nu-Liebore crew are incapable of telling the truth about any thing.
They are pathological liars.
If Harperson, mcBroon or any of them said it was snowing outside I'd go out in my vest.
bound to be a lie,
- Kedge, marlboro wilts uk, 20/11/2009 16:47
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