LONDON: British home secretary James Cleverly was under fire on Sunday for joking about date rape just hours after announcing plans to crack down on what he had dubbed a “perverse” offence. Cleverly, who oversees national security and law enforcement in England and Wales, faced a call to step down after he reportedly joked during a drinks reception at 10 Downing Street about drugging his wife. He told women guests at a Dec. 18 reception that the secret to a long marriage was having a spouse who “is always mildly sedated so she can never realise there are better men out there,” the Sunday Mirror newspaper reported.
Cleverly said “a little bit of Rohypnol” – the so-called date rape drug – “in her drink every night” was “not really illegal if it”s only a little bit”.
Cleverly apologised through a spokesperson for what he called an “ironic joke” after he had announced the government planned to update legislation to make clear that such drink spiking is illegal. “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 apologizes,” his spokesperson said.
The Fawcett Society, a women’s rights charity, called the remarks “sickening,” and demanded Cleverly to resign. Labour Party lawmaker Yvette Cooper said on X,”Spiking is a serious & devastating crime. Truly unbelievable that the home secretary in charge of tackling violence against women & girls could think it OK to make jokes like this.” ap
Watch British Home Secretary James Cleverly faces criticism for joking about date rape drug
Cleverly said “a little bit of Rohypnol” – the so-called date rape drug – “in her drink every night” was “not really illegal if it”s only a little bit”.
Cleverly apologised through a spokesperson for what he called an “ironic joke” after he had announced the government planned to update legislation to make clear that such drink spiking is illegal. “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 apologizes,” his spokesperson said.
The Fawcett Society, a women’s rights charity, called the remarks “sickening,” and demanded Cleverly to resign. Labour Party lawmaker Yvette Cooper said on X,”Spiking is a serious & devastating crime. Truly unbelievable that the home secretary in charge of tackling violence against women & girls could think it OK to make jokes like this.” ap
Watch British Home Secretary James Cleverly faces criticism for joking about date rape drug
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