Former Conservative transport minister George Freeman has been fined £430 and handed six penalty points after pleading guilty to using a handheld mobile phone while driving. The Mid Norfolk MP admitted the offence at Stratford Magistrates Court on September 1.
Freeman, who served as a transport minister under Boris Johnson, was caught after a cyclist photographed him using his phone at the wheel. He said he was checking the traffic app Waze for an alternative route while stuck in gridlocked traffic.
Court penalties and costs
In addition to the fine, Freeman was ordered to pay a £172 surcharge to support justice services and £130 in costs to the Metropolitan Police.
Freeman told the Mirror: “I was sitting in gridlocked traffic and checking Waze on my phone. I took full responsibility and deeply regret my actions.”
Political background and criticism
Freeman was first elected as MP for Mid Norfolk in 2010 and held ministerial roles in the governments of Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. He faced criticism in 2024 after claiming his ministerial salary of almost £120,000 was not enough to cover his mortgage repayments.
He said he quit as science minister in November 2023 because his £118,300 salary would not cover his mortgage, which was rising from £800 a month to £2,000. In a blog post, he wrote that he left the role “because my mortgage rises this month from £800pcm to £2,000, which I simply couldn't afford to pay on a ministerial salary”.
A Labour source said: "After the Tories’ last joyride crashed the economy, you’d think the former Transport minister would have learned to take better care behind the wheel."
Freeman was also criticised by constituents at the time, with one saying they had “no sympathy”. Hannah Hirst, a constituent, posted online: "Boohoo poor Mr Freeman.. such a hard life he leads isn't it.. maybe he should stop spending on other luxury items he has failed to mention? Absolute joke."
