Rishi Sunak has been accused of a “cowardly cop-out” after he ruled that Suella Braverman did not break the ministerial code in a row over speeding points.
The prime minister decided not to order his independent ethics adviser to carry out an investigation into the home secretary.
Braverman was under fire for asking civil servants to help take a private speed awareness course.
But Sunak ruled: “These matters do not amount to a breach of the ministerial code.”
Lib Dem chief whip Wendy Chamberlain described the prime minister’s actions as a “cowardly cop-out” and added: “With every scandal, we see the prime minister dither, delay and flip-flop - never taking decisive action.
“This is not the leadership the country needs during such a severe cost-of-living crisis.”
Chamberlain said Sunak was “too weak” to order an investigation “let alone sack his home secretary” and claimed he was ruled by his own “hardline backbenchers”.
Sunak did, however, criticise Braverman’s handling of the saga, telling her in a letter: “A better course of action could have been taken to avoid giving rise to the perception of impropriety.”
Braverman eventually accepted a fine and penalty points on her driving licence for the speeding offence.
In her letter to Sunak, Braverman said: “I sought to explore whether bespoke arrangements were possible, given my personal circumstances as a security-protected minister.
“I recognise how some people have construed this as me seeking to avoid sanction – at no point was that the intention or outcome.
“Nonetheless, given the fundamental importance of integrity in public life, I deeply regret that my actions may have given rise to that perception, and I apologise for the distraction this has caused.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer poked fun at Braverman during prime minister’s questions, claiming she has a problem “coping with points-based systems” and asking Sunak “does he wish he had the strength to give her a career change of her own”?