Reform UK has issued a legal threat against Kemi Badenoch unless she issues an apology to Suella Braverman regarding allegations made by the Conservative party about Braverman’s mental well-being. Following Braverman’s switch to Nigel Farage’s party on Monday, a Conservative spokesperson stated that the party had taken steps to support Braverman’s mental health but acknowledged her dissatisfaction. The remarks on her mental health sparked criticism, with Conservative peer Lord Jackson denouncing them as “nasty and unpleasant.”
Labour MP Jake Richards condemned the statement, urging decent Conservatives to reject it as beneath their principles. The contentious line was removed from a revised statement released a few hours later, with the party attributing the initial version to an inadvertent draft release.
However, Reform’s legal representatives have sent a letter to the Conservative office accusing them of defamation and malicious intent towards Mrs. Braverman. They are demanding a public apology from Ms. Badenoch by 4 pm on Friday, warning that Braverman reserves her legal rights if an apology is not received.
The letter emphasized the absence of any public or private apology to Braverman and the lack of acknowledgment of wrongdoing regarding the allegations made against her. It criticized the conflation of political disagreements or defection with mental health issues as not only illegal but also morally corrupt, reinforcing stigma and trivializing genuine mental health challenges for political gain.
The Tory statement criticizing the former Home Secretary was retracted 1.5 hours after its release, with Ms. Badenoch’s office denying her awareness of it. Braverman later dismissed the comment as “pathetic” and highlighted previous accusations by the Tory leader of her having a “nervous breakdown.”
Mrs. Badenoch admitted the statement was entirely inappropriate and took disciplinary action against the individual responsible for its release. She expressed regret over the incident, stating that such conduct does not align with the party’s values.