The Metropolitan Police have confirmed an officer had to speak to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murthy, after their dog was filmed chaotically running around Hyde Park without a leash. The Royal Parks demand dogs are kept on leashes to prevent harm to wildlife and birds.
In a statement, the force said “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.”
This is the PM’s third interaction with the police in recent years, after being issued Fixed Penalty Notices for attending a lockdown party in No. 10 and riding in his ministerial car without a seat belt.
No. 10 refused to say whether the Prime Minister would apologise for letting his dog off its lead.
The PM’s spokesman said: “I’m not going to be commenting further.”
Rishi Sunak has already been given two £150 fines since entering front-line politics.
In April 2022 both he and Boris Johnson were given Fixed Penalty Notices for attending a lockdown birthday celebration for the PM in the Cabinet Room.
In January this year he was given another fine for not wearing a seatbelt in the back of his taxpayer-funded ministerial car.
Mr Sunak said he “fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised”, adding he would pay the fine in full.
This afternoon Government sources were unwilling to repeat the same apology over his park faux pas.
In 2021 Tory MP Danny Kruger, the son of TV chef Prue Lieth, was ordered to pay over £700 by a court after his Jack Russell caused a stampede of 200 deer in Richmond Park.
He pleaded guilty to letting his 11-month-old puppy, Pebble, chase deer while off a lead in March that year.
Film footage was again recorded by a member of the public, with Mr Kruger repeatedly heard shouting “Pebble” before putting his dog on a lead.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1746311/Rishi-Sunak-police-dog-walk-off-lead-London-Hyde-Park
