Is James Cleverly the most gaffe-prone cabinet minister in history?
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James Cleverly has said sorry for making a joke about adding a date rape drug to his spouse's drink at an event held at Downing Street.
The person in charge of domestic affairs made a highly inappropriate statement about adding a small amount of a drug called Rohypnol to someone's beverage on a daily basis. This occurred shortly after the official declared a number of actions to combat criminal activity.
According to reports, Mr Cleverly made a comment that suggested that performing something partially illegal is not really a crime. He supposedly made these remarks during a private conversation, and has subsequently defended himself by saying it was meant to be a sarcastic joke.
The top types of drugs used to drug victims and cause them to feel physically debilitated, disoriented, helpless, or unconscious are Rohypnol and Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB).
However, one might wonder if Mr. Cleverly is the cabinet minister with the most history of committing mistakes that could harm his reputation. The Independent website has compiled a list of his most unforgettable blunders, which you can find below.
In a shocking turn of events, the Home secretary James Cleverly made a highly insensitive joke about slipping his wife Susannah a date rape drug in her drink. The seriousness and gravity of such an offensive remark cannot be understated. It is a highly volatile and offensive topic that should never be the subject of humour. The insensitivity of such a remark is troubling and causes great concern. Actions like these are unacceptable and have no place in society. It is the responsibility of those in positions of power to set an example for others and promote respectful and sensitive conduct. This incident should be used as a learning opportunity to educate people on how to avoid such insensitive topics and make society a better place.
During the month of November, Mr. Cleverly opposed the claim of referring to a constituency of a Labour MP in a derogatory manner, stating that he never used such language. This happened only a few weeks after he was appointed as the home secretary.
County Durham's MP for Stockton North, Alex Cunningham, claimed that a remark was uttered by a Conservative cabinet member and requested an expression of regret.
According to reports, the remark was made when the prime minister was questioned by Mr. Cunningham regarding the high rate of child poverty in the northeastern region of England where he represents.
The spokesperson for Mr. Cleverly has denied that he made such a statement and expressed disappointment over the accusation. However, someone familiar with Mr. Cleverly later shared that he referred to the MP in question as a "terrible MP."
Before, Mr. Cleverly refused to accept that he had called a Labour MP's constituency a derogatory term.
Mr Cleverly had to refute the claim that he used derogatory language when referring to his cabinet's initiative in Rwanda. During a parliamentary session in November, Yvette Cooper, the Labour shadow home secretary, accused Mr Cleverly of calling the plan "bats***".
He said over and over that he couldn't recall making any statement of that nature. During an interview with Sky News, he stated, "That phrase doesn't ring a bell. The initiative in Rwanda is significant, but it's just one of many tactics we use to combat unlawful immigration."
During another interview on BBC Radio 4's Today show, he once again stated that he did not recall using the specific phrase.
The authorities were in the process of negotiating an additional lawfully enforceable agreement in addition to the previously arranged £140 million agreement with Kigali, following the disapproval of the policy by five prominent judges.
Mr. Cleverly has rejected accusations of describing his cabinet's policy on Rwanda as a "crazy idea."
Job Title Forgotten During Speech
During that very month, Mr Cleverly seemed to have completely overlooked his recent appointment as home secretary while delivering a speech.
During a recent joint summit by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and National Police Chiefs Council, the ex-Foreign Secretary expressed his desire to establish clear communication channels between his team and law enforcement agencies. He acknowledged that changing old habits can be difficult, but he hopes to overcome any barriers and foster a productive working relationship.
Labour Blamed For Disastrous Mini-budget
During 2022, Mr Cleverly seemed to attribute responsibility for the catastrophic mini-budget of the former prime minister, Liz Truss, to the pessimistic portrayal of the Labour Party regarding the proposals.
Trying to shift the blame for the budget's repercussions onto someone other than the government, Cleverly stated to Kay Burley from Sky News that Labour's pessimistic attitude was to blame.
. Mr Cleverly attempted to shift the blame for the failed mini-budget of ex-prime minister Liz Truss onto the Labour Party.
BBC Blunder Forces Admission Of 'misspeaking'
By 2022, the ex-prime minister was facing mounting demands to make her stance on the welfare system clear. Despite people anticipating that Mrs. Truss would reveal her plans in a few weeks, Mr. Cleverly stated that they may only be anticipated at the start of 2023.
The BBC later disclosed that the government official had stated that he made an error in his speech and that his comments regarding the date of a policy proclamation were actually inaccurate.
Bank Of England's Intervention Recall
While being interviewed, BBC reporters brought up the fact that the UK's economy had to be rescued by the Bank of England after the mini-budget presented by Mrs Truss, reminding Mr Cleverly.
During an interview with Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain, he eventually acknowledged that he wasn't an expert in economics. He maintained that the mini-budget was not responsible for the issues in Britain's economy despite being questioned on the matter.