Home Secretary James Cleverly Issues Apology for 'Ironic Joke' About Spiking Wife's Drink

Home Secretary James Cleverly has issued an apology for an inappropriate remark suggesting he would drug his wife, which he made during a private event at Downing Street.

He joked about keeping a spouse sedated to prevent her from recognizing there are better men available, even mentioning the drug Rohypnol, associated with sexual assault.

His comments were met with outrage from the Labour Party and women's rights groups, who condemned the remarks as insensitive and unacceptable, given the seriousness of drug-facilitated crimes.

Yvette Cooper, the Shadow Home Secretary, and organizations such as Women's Aid and the Fawcett Society emphasized the importance of taking violence against women seriously, with the latter even calling for Cleverly's resignation.

The remarks came on the same day Cleverly had announced new measures to combat spiking, which he called a "perverse crime." However, despite the private nature of the conversation, its reporting was justified by the Sunday Mirror due to the severity of the comments and Cleverly's role.

Cleverly did not remember the exact words used but acknowledged the inappropriateness of the joke. The story broke amidst political journalists, ministers, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gathering at a 10 Downing Street event on December 18, with Cleverly facing additional criticism for previously using offensive language towards a Labour MP.