UK's Interior Minister James Cleverly faced criticism after he joked about putting a date rape drug in his wife's drink at an event held at 10 Downing Street on December 18. He later issued an apology for the remarks. He made the comments just hours after the Home Office announced plans to crack down on spiking, which is the practice of putting drugs into someone else's drink or body without that person's knowledge or consent, as per a report in the BBC.
As per the Sunday Mirror, he told female guests at the event that "a little bit of Rohypnol in her drink every night" was "not really illegal if it's only a little bit". A lengthy marriage, he said, was achieved by making sure your partner was "someone who is always mildly sedated so she can never realise there are better men out there". The minister met his wife at university and they have two children.
It is to be noted that the discussions at Downing Street receptions are regarded as "off the record" and not subject to media coverage. However, the Sunday Mirror stated that it had chosen to defy this tradition due to Mr Cleverly's standing and the nature of his comments.
A spokesperson for Mr Cleverly said, "In what was always understood as a private conversation, James, the home secretary, tackling spiking made what was clearly meant to be an ironic joke - for which he apologises."
Several politicians from the Labour Party criticised Mr Cleverly's statement. The Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding, Alex Davies-Jones said, "'It was a joke' is the most tired excuse in the book and no one is buying it. If the home secretary is serious about tackling spiking, and violence against women and girls, then that requires a full cultural change. The 'banter' needs to stop and it has to start at the top."
"Spiking is a disturbing and serious crime which is having a devastating impact on young women's lives. It is truly unbelievable that the home secretary made such appalling jokes on the very same day the government announced new policy on spiking," said Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
In November, Ms Cleverly apologised for breaching UK parliament politeness rules after a strongly worded off-mic criticism of a Labour MP. He had been under pressure to say sorry following claims he cast aspersions on a north of England constituency in the House of Commons on Wednesday. However, a source close to the Conservative minister said his remark had been directed towards the MP for Stockton North, not the constituency itself. "James made a comment. He called Alex Cunningham a shit MP. He apologises for unparliamentary language," the source told AFP.
