The UK house secretary has apologized for making a joke about spiking his spouse’s drink with a date rape drug.
James Cleverly’s remarks have been made at a reception on the Prime Minister’s home-office 10 Downing Road, and made public hours after Cleverly’s division introduced a crackdown on the offence of spiking drinks.
The Sunday Mirror newspaper reported that Cleverly informed feminine company on the occasion, “just a little little bit of Rohypnol in her drink each night time” was “probably not unlawful if it’s solely just a little bit.”
The paper added that he was quoted saying the key to a protracted marriage was ensuring your partner was “at all times mildly sedated so she will be able to by no means realise there are higher males on the market.”
A spokesperson for the house secretary stated: “In what was at all times understood as a non-public dialog, James, the house secretary, tackling spiking made what was clearly meant to be an ironic joke – for which he apologizes.”
Journalists attended the reception, which might usually be understood to be a non-public “off the document” occasion, however the paper stated it had determined to eschew that etiquette attributable to Cleverly’s place in authorities and the subject material.
Opposition politicians have been fast to criticize the remarks. With Alex Davies-Jones, the shadow minister for home violence and safeguarding, saying: “‘It was a joke’ is probably the most drained excuse within the ebook and nobody is shopping for it.
“If the house secretary is severe about tackling spiking, and violence in opposition to ladies and ladies, then that requires a full cultural change. The ‘banter’ must cease and it has to begin on the high.”
