A Belgian MP has had his car fitted with a set of James Bond-style revolving number plates, according to a report in The Times.

The thinking behind the move is to avoid public abuse. However, such such a move would be illegal in the UK.

Not Q but P

In Belgium, politicians are all issued with a special “P” plate for their cars. This identifies them as members of the federal parliament, with the “P” followed by the length of time they’ve spent in office.

Such a plate confers upon them privileges such as access to reserved parking spaces in the centre of Brussels. It also provides them with the authority to avoid police checks.

 

Secret service

Michael Freilich — a Flemish nationalist MP – decided that anonymity and the ability to move around without being identified as a politician was preferable to the perks of the plate.

Belgian MPs are issued with two vehicle registration certificates for the same car, one with the conventional number and other with the P-plate.

Insurance forms list both, which means that politicians are within their rights to display both plates. This is unlike the UK where such number plates are totally illegal.  This is because it is an offence to fail to display or obscure a number plate under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994.

Using a rotating plate or a so-called “stealth” frame to obscure a number plate could be used to avoid fines or parking fees. According to one motoring lawyer it could be viewed as “tantamount to perverting the course of justice”.  Penalties could mean up to two years in prison.

National security

“Some colleagues choose to use the P number plate all the time,” says  Freilich. “I avoid doing so for fear of becoming the target of aggression or ending up on social media at the slightest blunder on the road”.

“That’s why I took inspiration from James Bond, to make it a bit fun.”

In his quest for anonymity, Freilich used to switch his plates manually, which became a rather onerous chore. He then found a rotating device operated by means of a key fob.

“I sometimes used them [the P-plates] for official visits and took them off again for a holiday abroad. Eventually I got tired of such a hassle with screws at the front and rear,” he said.

“I consulted a number of lawyers and asked them if I could install such a system. Their comments were to always make sure that the front and rear plates are the same and do not change during your journey or, even worse, during a random speed check.

“I don’t intend to put it to the test. I don’t have any bad intentions.”

You can read the original article here.