Former Transport Minister George Freeman Fined for Using Mobile Phone While Driving

George Freeman, the Conservative MP representing Mid Norfolk, admitted to the offense of using a mobile phone while driving at Stratford Magistrates' Court in London on September 1. According to BBC UK, Freeman was issued a fine of £430, along with a surcharge of £172 intended to support justice services, and was also ordered to pay £130 in costs to the Metropolitan Police.

Freeman stated that he was looking at a navigation application while he was stopped in traffic. The MP, who previously served as transport minister under Boris Johnson from July 2019 to February 2020, expressed deep regret for his conduct and accepted full responsibility for his actions.

The court heard that a cyclist observed the MP using his phone behind the wheel and subsequently reported the incident to the police.

Freeman, who is 59 years old, has been a member of Parliament for 16 years, having been first elected to represent Mid Norfolk in 2010, and has held various ministerial positions during periods when the Conservatives held power.

Previously, Freeman mentioned that he resigned from his position as science minister in 2023 because he could not manage the rising mortgage payments on a ministerial salary of close to £120,000. This change enabled him to earn additional income outside of government, in addition to the MP's salary of £86,584 at that time, through taking on secondary employment.

He became a paid advisor with GHGSat, a service that monitors greenhouse gas emissions, in April 2024 and subsequently left that role in March 2025.

Last year, Freeman was suspended from his role as a government trade envoy for Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Brunei after he referred himself to the parliamentary watchdog following claims that a director at GHGSat assisted him in drafting questions for government departments. The parliamentary watchdog reviewed these allegations and concluded that they did not furnish sufficient grounds for a formal investigation.