United Kingdom Home Secretary, Suella Braverman has distanced herself from an email sent in her name accusing Public Servants of frustrating plans to cut the number of small boats crossing the English Channel.
The Cabinet Minister was accused of a cowardly attack on the Public Service after a campaign email sent out by her Conservative Party, and bearing her name and signature, pointed the finger at Government officials for scuppering earlier efforts to get to grips with the issue.
“We tried to stop the small boat crossings without changing our laws, but an activist blob of left-wing lawyers, Civil Servants and the Labour Party blocked us,” the email stated.
However, Ms Braverman (pictured) said she did not write the email.
“I didn’t see it and it was an error that it was sent out in my name,” Ms Braverman said.
The Prime Minister’s Office sought to draw a line under the row, saying Ms Braverman did not see the email before it went out on the day she unveiled a new Illegal Immigration Bill aimed at curbing cross-Channel migration.
A Conservative Party spokesperson said it was now “reviewing our internal clearance processes”.
Unions representing Public Servants had fired off letters to Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak demanding action.
General Secretary of the FDA union, Dave Penman said the email represented a cowardly attack on the impartiality of the Public Service and a transparent attempt to deflect from the Government’s own policy failings.
General Secretary of the Prospect Union, Mike Clancy said the email made an extremely serious allegation that was completely without foundation, and hit out at what he called an attempt to score “cheap party-political advantage”.
London, 10 March 2023
