The Overseas Workplace has denied studies that David Lammy refused to pay a taxi driver who drove him and his spouse from Italy to France.
An nameless taxi driver instructed French media the international secretary turned “aggressive” when he was requested to pay 700 euros (£590) of the 1,550 euro invoice, with the rest lined by the reserving service.
However the authorities division stated Mr Lammy and his partner have been actually victims within the case and that the driving force has been charged with theft after driving off with their baggage.
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The incident occurred when Mr Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham, joined the King for a state go to to Italy in April after which took a non-public vacation to the Alps together with his spouse Nicola Inexperienced.
The taxi driver took the couple greater than 600 kilometres from the city of Forli in Italy to the French ski resort of Flaine.
A supply stated the payment was paid up entrance to the switch service however that the driving force however insisted he was owed cash and demanded to be paid in money.
It’s understood that after he left with their baggage, a member of the international secretary’s workplace contacted the driving force to get it again, and it was deposited at a police station with a “considerable” sum of cash lacking from Ms Inexperienced’s bag.
He stated he had determined to go away the passengers at their vacation spot and went to the police, the place officers discovered diplomatic passports and a coded briefcase within the boot of his automobile.
Ms Inexperienced doesn’t have a diplomatic passport and Mr Lammy was travelling on his regular passport because it was a non-public journey.
Whitehall sources denied any delicate materials was within the vacation baggage.
Prosecutors opened an investigation right into a “commercial dispute” in Bonneville in Haute-Savoie after the driving force filed a criticism, in keeping with French media.
A Overseas Workplace spokesperson stated: “We totally refute these allegations. The fare was paid in full.
“The international secretary and his spouse are named as victims on this matter and the driving force has been charged with theft.
“As there is an ongoing legal process, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”