Facts
Home Secretary James Cleverly claimed he “apologised immediately” after making a joke about spiking his wife’s drink with Rohypnol – a common date rape drug.
He initially made the ‘joke’ on 18 December 2023. Almost a week later on 24 December a spokesman for the home secretary said: “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 apologises.”
Cleverly did not personally apologise until the 2nd January 2024, during a Sky News interview with Kay Burley.
Verdict
James Cleverly did not apologise “immediately” for his comments about spiking his wife’s drink with Rohypnol.
We emailed James Cleverly’s office offering him the chance to respond. The email was received, but no reply. We also emailed the Home Office with our analysis, they responded “I’m afraid we can only respond to media outlets, so this wouldn’t be one for us.”