James Cleverly accused of 'crashing into car while talking on phone'

A MAN has accused the Conservative Party chairman of being "dishonest" and a "liar" following a crash near Braintree in Essex on Friday night (16).

James Cleverly was involved in a “minor accident” on the M11 motorway, and the driver of the other vehicle has slammed the MP for not accepting liability. The man, Asim Khan, has also accused Cleverly of using his phone while driving.

Taking to Twitter, Khan posted a short video of him getting into a row with James Cleverly about liability for the crash.

In a series of messages, Khan wrote: “This guy James Cleverly ... hit my car on M11 while speeding and using his phone.

“At the scene he admitted it was his fault. He damaged my new car. When I contacted him he said he is not accepting liability.”

Khan also posted a series of texts he supposedly exchanged with Cleverly in which the latter appeared to reject any acceptance of fault.

“It was your fault mate,” wrote Khan. “I am trying to be nice ... but you are now pushing it mate.”

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Cleverly said he had been involved in a “minor accident” and the matter was now “being dealt with by his insurance company”.

Sources close to Cleverly denied that he was talking on his phone or that he had accepted liability for the collision.

The incident comes just days after MPs appealed to the government to ban all mobile phone calls while driving.

According to Lilian Greenwood MP, drivers continued to break the law by using handheld mobile phones, despite the risks.

“If mobile phone use while driving is to become as socially unacceptable as drink-driving, much more effort needs to go into educating drivers about the risks and consequences of using a phone behind the wheel," she was quoted as saying.

“Offenders also need to know there is a credible risk of being caught, and that there are serious consequences for being caught.”

She added: “There is also a misleading impression that hands-free use is safe. The reality is that any use of a phone distracts from a driver’s ability to pay full attention, and the government should consider extending the ban to reflect this.”