Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been spoken to by police for breaking the rules while walking his dog in a Royal Park.
The PM's close protection officers had to step in after the PM's Labrador Nova was allowed to run free in Hyde Park in London on Saturday. The dog was filmed off its lead – just yards from a sign telling owners not to allow their pets to do so.
It comes after Mr Sunak was fined by police in January for failing to wear a seatbelt in a car and he was fined last year for attending a lockdown-busting gathering in No 10. The Met Police told The Mirror a woman had been spoken to about the latest rule-breaking.
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The force said in a statement: "We are aware of a video showing a dog being walked off the lead in Hyde Park. An officer, who was present at the time, spoke to a woman and reminded her of the rules. The dog was put back on the lead."
Downing Street refused to say if Mr Sunak would apologise for breaking the rules. The PM's spokesman said: "I'm not going to be commenting on the filming of the Prime Minister and his family. You can see the video, which speaks for itself."
Asked if the PM had broken the law, his spokesman said: "I'm not going to be commenting further."
A nearby sign says: "Dogs must be kept on leads. Do not allow them to enter the lake or disturb the wildlife. It is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to disturb wildlife."
It was shared by a TikTok user who wrote: "Lol as if Rishi Sunak put his dog on the lead when he saw me filming the sign saying dogs must be on a lead."
One onlooker said: “Rishi Sunak and his family were walking their dog in Hyde Park. I was just outside Benugo cafe with my friends and I was patting this dog without any idea Rishi Sunak was there at first.
“I was stroking his dog without knowing it was his dog for ages. Then I look up and the dog is running towards Rishi. He was on a walk with his wife and daughter and the dog.
“There were security officers with them following quite closely.”
She added: “There was a large clear sign saying that all dogs must be kept on a lead because of the lake but Rishi’s dog was not on a lead. It was sort of running about, like barking at a few of the birds and stuff.”
A Royal Parks’ spokesperson said: “Dogs are welcome in all the Royal Parks, although there are some places where they are not allowed or should be kept on a lead.”
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