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this conservative party Forced to withdraw statement Suela Braverman mental health After her dramatic defection to Reform Criticism from politicians and charities.
The former home secretary has been revealed as the latest former Tory right-winger to defect. Nigel FarageOn Monday, she followed her friend and political ally Robert Jenrick to the party.
But an initial response released by the Conservatives shortly after the defection included this sentence: “The Conservatives have done everything they can to look after Suela’s mental health but she is clearly very unhappy.”
Ms Braverman told a press conference: “It’s a bit sad. As I said, it’s more about them than it is about me. I really wouldn’t respect it.
“I fear this is just one of the more regrettable signs of a bitter and desperate party that appears to be in free fall.”
A spokesman for Reform UK described the statement as “gutter politics” as it was condemned by the entire political spectrum and mental health charities and forced her former party to retract it in humiliation.
The statement comes after a traumatic month for the Conservative Party, which saw Mr Jenrick, Ms Braverman and Romford MP Andrew Rosindale all defect. Nine other Conservative MPs are also on the defection watch list.
Her defection means there are now more members in the Reform Party’s Liz Truss cabinet than in Kemi Badenock’s frontbench.
Former Brexit secretary Lord Frost tweeted his support for Ms Braverman, rekindling speculation that he would become Boris Johnson’s latest ally to join Mr Farage.
But the Tory attack on Ms Braverman, MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, was met with an angry response.
Brian Dow, deputy chief executive of the charity Rethink Mental Illness, warned that mental health issues should not “be used as a political football”.
“Employers should never reveal any details about the mental health of their employees or former employees,” he said.
“Doing so says more about their situation than the person they are referring to. The experiences of people with mental illness should not be trivialized or used as a political football.”
Both Labor and Conservative politicians criticized the statement as “obnoxious and offensive”.
Fellow Conservative Lord Jackson wrote on X: “What a disgusting and unpleasant statement from @Conservatives. They have lost thousands more votes.”
Meanwhile, Labor MP Jake Richards wrote on social media: “I hope decent Conservatives will speak up about this statement. It’s not worth it to them.”
Home Affairs Minister Mike Tapp criticized the statement as “falling below the standards we expected”.
“I’m right Suela Braverman When it comes to politics and what she’s done to our immigration system,” he wrote on X.
“But the Conservative attack on her mental health fell below the standards we would expect. British values are strong but decent, firm but fair. Neither the Conservatives nor the Reform Party agree with this.”
A few hours later, the verdict was removed and republished with a new statement. The party said an earlier version of the draft was sent out in error.
A corrected statement from a Conservative Party spokesman read: “The question was always when Suela defected, not if.
The statement added: “Some people become fMPs because they care about their communities and want to build a better country.
“Others do it for personal ambition. Zuela ran for the Conservative leadership in 2022, finishing sixth behind Kemmy and Tom Tugendhat.
“She won’t even be able to muster enough supporters to get to the polls in 2024. She’s now decided to try her luck Nigel Faragewho said last year he did not want her to join the Reform Party. They are really giving us a ‘spring cleaning’! “
Ms Braverman, who once ran for the Tory leadership and is a major Brexit supporter, said after being introduced as the eighth reform MP at a rally in London: “Today I announce my resignation as the Tory whip and my 30-year membership of the party. I join Reform Britain because I believe wholeheartedly that it is possible for us to have a better future.”
She told the crowd that Mr Farage was the only person in British politics who was “courageously consistent”.
Two years ago, when she was home secretary, Ms Farage described Ms Braverman as “absolutely pathetic” on immigration and blocking small boats.
Asked about his previous comments following Ms Braverman’s defection, Mr Farage told reporters on Monday: “None of them are useful. They are useless because they are trapped within the European Court of Human Rights. So she finds herself in this strange position… We are still trapped within the European Court of Human Rights that she is against.”
He added: “The government has failed, but she is now prepared to throw up her hands and say, ‘We were wrong’, and that is the first criterion.”
Ms Braverman has had a rocky career, being forced to resign as home secretary in Ms Truss’s government and subsequently sacked by Rishi Sunak.
Not only was she a so-called Brexit Spartan who voted against all of Theresa May’s deal with the EU, but she also infamously attacked rough sleepers and described asylum seekers as “invaders”, her career placing her on the far right of the Conservative Party.
Labor leader Anna Turley said: “Nigel Farage has packed his party with failed Tories who are responsible for 14 years of chaos and decline in the UK.
“Suella Braverman helped mess up Brexit and was sacked as home secretary – her defection shows Farage’s willingness to accept the worst of the Conservative Party and exposes his complete lack of judgement.”
If you are in pain, or struggling to cope, you can speak to a Samaritan privately on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org or visit Samaritan Website to find details of your nearest branch
If you live in the United States and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, please call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org Access online chat through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline open to everyone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you’re in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org Find a helpline near you.