The Know Daily - Monday 22 May 2023

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A new digital library initiative in Boston means that passengers at 20 bus stops in the city will soon be able to access free online content. The Browse, Borrow, Board scheme lets people enjoy audiobooks, e-books and digital mags by scanning a QR code - we love!

🚘 Suella Braverman’s speeding saga

PM Rishi Sunak has consulted his ethics adviser over the home secretary’s handling of a speeding offence last summer. He is yet to confirm if he will launch an investigation into whether or not Suella Braverman broke the ministerial code.

What’s the story?
Over the weekend, it was revealed that Suella Braverman attempted to get civil servants and an aide to arrange a private speed awareness course for her while in the post of attorney general (the government’s most senior legal officer) in 2022. According to the Sunday Times, she was “concerned that points on her licence would increase her car insurance premium”.

When the civil servants refused, “a number of requests” were made to the course provider, including asking whether Braverman could take the course using an alias or with her camera switched off. When these requests were rejected, Braverman opted to pay the fineand accept three points on her licence.

How has Sunak responded?
The PM is under intense pressure to launch an investigation into whether Braverman broke the ministerial code by asking civil servants to help with her personal affairs.

A No. 10 spokesperson confirmed this morning that the PM has spoken to Laurie Magnus, the independent adviser on ministerial interests, about the allegations. As of now, an investigation has not been launched into whether Braverman broke the ministerial code, but the spokesperson did not rule out an update on this later.

How have opposition parties responded?
Labour’s leader Keir Starmer has urged the PM to launch an investigation into the allegations and called on Braverman to resign if she is found to have broken the ministerial code.

The home secretary said today that she is “confident that nothing untoward happened” in relation to claims she broke the ministerial code, but she did not deny asking civil servants for help.

Is there anything else I should know?
Braverman is set to appear before MPs for Home Office questions at 2:30pm today, where she is expected to face a further probe over her actions.

🇺🇦 Ukraine update: Kyiv has rejected Moscow’s claims to have captured Bakhmut - a city in eastern Ukraine where the war’s “bloodiest battles” have been fought. And President Zelenskyy has secured fresh military aid from the US worth up to £300m.

🇬🇷 Greek election: Greece’s conservative prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, of the centre-right New Democracy party, has won his country’s national elections.

🍯 Not so sweet: New Zealand’s honey-makers have failed in an attempt to stop Australian producers from using the lucrative name of mānuka - a type of honey hailed for its healing properties.

⛲ Fossil fuels fight-back: Climate protesters used diluted charcoal to turn Rome’s famous Trevi fountain black on Sunday - see what it looked like here.

🎸 Smells like…: A signed electric guitar which was destroyed on stage by Kurt Cobain during Nirvana’s legendary Nevermind era sold at auction for nearly $600,000 - 10 times its original estimate.

Trivia answer: B) Going forward - which is often used in a business context - topped the list. Check out the other offending phrases here - and work out how many of them you use!

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