BBC
James Cleverly was left squirming this morning as he tried to defend himself over a joke he made about the date rape drug Rohypnol.
In his first public comments since the row broke, the home secretary gave a “heartfelt” apology for his comments at a Downing Street reception.
Cleverly was reported to have said “a little bit of Rohypnol in her drink every night” was ”not really illegal if it’s only a little bit”.
He also claimed the secret to a good marriage was “someone who is always mildly sedated so she can never realise there are better men out there”.
Remarkably, the cabinet minister made the comment on the same day he had announced a crackdown on “spiking” drinks with the drug.
On BBC Breakfast this morning, presenter John Kay told him: “I think [it was] the very fact that you had made that announcement that shocked people so much that you could then make the comments you did within hours.
“People couldn’t accept or understand why you’d have done that.”
Cleverly replied: “It was meant to be a joke, and I completely accept that it was hurtful for a number of people, which was why I apologised when asked about it, and that apology was heartfelt.”
Kay then said: “When you sit in the Home Office in future with women’s charities and campaign groups and they’re looking you in the eye and they know what you said was a joke, what are they meant to think of you and your real understanding of the issues they face?”
The home secretary said: "I think my actions will speak louder than words, and my actions on this issue have been consistent and long-standing.
"Spiking has been an offence for a long time and I'm the first home secretary who has put forward legislation to help tackle this action. They will know my commitment to this."