I almost feel bad for British Immigration Minister Liam Byrne. But since he talks with a funny accent (and since the Dollar is down against the Pound) I guess I’ll just mock him instead.

Last year, before he was elevated to a cabinet post, Byrne was part of the UK Parliamentary Committee that doubled the fines for driving while talking on a hand-held cell phone. At the time, he testified:

“I was shocked as a new MP to hear example after example of drivers who had killed innocent people walking off with no more severe a penalty than six points on their license and a £150 to £300 fine. The most dangerous drivers are serial potential killers.“

Byrne is definitely a real road-safety crusader. (It says that he wants “safer roads” right on his website.) He even encourages drivers to use the UK government’s helpful website to snitch on their fellow motorists’ traffic transgressions.

And now this:

A Home Office minister who once warned MPs that Britain’s most dangerous drivers were “serial potential killers” faced accusations of hypocrisy today after pleading guilty to using a mobile phone while driving.

Liam Byrne, the Immigration Minister … was fined £100 with £30 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. He was also given three points on his licence, taking his current total up to six.

Don’t they have speakerphones in England?