Tories forced to retract Braverman mental health claim
The Conservative Party has been forced to retract a statement making claims about Suella Braverman’s mental health following her dramatic defection to Reform following criticism from politicians and charities.
The former home secretary was announced as the latest former Tory right-winger to join Nigel Farage’s party on Monday, following his friend and political ally Robert Jenrick.
But the first response published by the Conservative Party immediately after the departure included the following sentence: “The Conservatives did our best to look after Suella’s mental health, but Suella was clearly very unhappy.”
Speaking at a press conference, Ms Braverman said: “It’s a bit pathetic. As I say, it says more about them than it does about me. I’m not really going to glorify it.”
“I’m afraid these are just sadder signs of a bitter and hopeless party that appears to be in free fall.”
A spokesman for Reform UK described the statement as “gap politics” as the reference was condemned across the political spectrum and by mental health charities, forcing his former party into a humiliating backtrack.
The statement comes after a difficult month for the Conservatives, which saw Mr Jenrick, Ms Braverman and Romford MP Andrew Rosunull defect. Nine other Conservative Party MPs are on the asylum watchlist.
His departure means there are more members of Reform in Liz Truss’s cabinet than there are in Kemi Badenoch’s frontbench.
A tweet supporting Ms Braverman by former Brexit minister Lord Frost also fueled speculation she would be the latest Boris Johnson ally to join Mr Farage.
But the tone of the Tory attack on Ms Braverman, the MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, was met with an angry response.
Brian Dow, deputy chief executive of the charity Rethink Mental Illness, warned that the issue of mental health should not be “used as a political football”.
“Employers should never disclose any details about the mental health of their employees or former staff,” he said.
“Doing so says so much more about them than the person they are referring to. People living with mental health issues do not deserve to have their experiences trivialized or used as a political football.”
Both Labor and Conservative politicians criticized the statement as “disgusting and distasteful”.
His Conservative peer Lord Jackson wrote of
Meanwhile, Labor MP Jake Richards wrote on social media: “I hope respected Conservatives will address this statement. It’s not like them.”
Home Affairs Minister Mike Tapp criticized the statement as “below the standards we expect”.
“I have no sympathy for Suella Braverman when it comes to what she has done to our politics and immigration system,” she wrote to X.
“But the Conservatives’ attack on his mental health is below the standards we would expect. Britain’s values are strong but decent, firm but fair. Neither the Conservatives nor the Reform are signing up to this.”
Hours later, the penalty was lifted and a new statement was reissued. The party said the previous version was a draft sent by mistake.
A corrected statement from a Conservative Party spokesman now reads: “It was always a question of when Suella would leave, not if he would defect.
The statement adds: “There are some people who are fMP because they care about their community and want to create a better country.
“There are also those who do this for personal ambition. Suella took over the leadership of the Conservatives in 2022 and finished sixth behind Kemi and Tom Tugendhat.
“He couldn’t even muster enough supporters to get on the ballot in 2024. Now he’s decided to try his luck with Nigel Farage, who last year said he didn’t want him on Reform. They’re really doing our ‘Spring cleaning’!”
Ms Braverman, who once ran for the Conservative Party leadership and is a prominent supporter of Brexit, said after being introduced as the eighth Reform MP at a rally in London: “Today I am announcing that I am resigning from my position in the Conservative Party and my membership of the party for 30 years. And I am joining Reform Britain because I believe with all my heart and soul that a better future is possible for us.”
He told the crowd that Mr Farage was the only man in UK politics who was “boldly consistent”.
Two years ago, when he was Home Secretary, Ms Farage described Ms Braverman as “utterly pathetic” over immigration and stopping small boats.
Asked about his previous comments following Ms Braverman’s departure, Mr Farage told reporters on Monday: “They were all completely useless. They were all completely useless because they were stuck in the ECHR. So he found himself in this strange position….we were still stuck in the ECHR, which he opposed.”
He added: “The government has failed, but now they are ready to throw up their hands and say ‘we got it wrong’ and that is the first criterion.”
During a checkered period in her career, Ms Braverman was forced to resign as home secretary in Ms Truss’s government and was later sacked from the same post by Rishi Sunak.
As well as being a so-called Brexit Spartan who voted against all of Theresa May’s deals with the EU, in a career that has seen him on the far right of the Conservative Party, he has viciously attacked rough sleepers and described asylum seekers as “occupiers”.
Labor leader Anna Turley said: “Nigel Farage is filling his party with failing Tories that are responsible for the chaos and decline that has held Britain back for 14 years.
“Suella Braverman helped fail Brexit and was sacked as home secretary; her defection shows Farage is willing to accept the worst of the Conservative Party and reveals his complete lack of judgement.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress or finding it difficult to cope, you can speak to Samaritans confidentially on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org or visit . Samaritans Website to find details of your nearest branch
If you are a US resident and you or someone you know needs mental health help right now, call or text 988 or visit: 988lifeline.org To access online chat on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis helpline available to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country you can go www.befrienders.org To find a helpline near you.
