The calls for the resignation of the home secretary intensified after he joked about spiking his wife’s drink with a date rape drug during a Downing Street reception. James Cleverly apologized for his remarks shortly after the Home Office unveiled plans to combat spiking. However, advocates argued that his comments could be distressing to victims and emphasized the need to change attitudes normalizing banter about date rape.
Cleverly, speaking at the reception, suggested that a small amount of Rohypnol in his wife’s drink every night was not illegal. He also joked about keeping a spouse mildly sedated for a lasting marriage. While Downing Street conversations are typically off the record, the Sunday Mirror broke convention due to Cleverly’s position and the sensitive subject matter.
These comments overshadowed the government’s message on spiking, prompting calls for the home secretary’s resignation. Critics, including Jemima Olchawski from the Fawcett Society and Alex Davies-Jones, the shadow minister for domestic violence, rejected the excuse that it was just a joke and called for a cultural change at the top.
A Home Office report reveals that police receive an average of 561 spiking reports per month, mostly from women in or near bars and nightclubs. Between May 2022 and April 2023, there were 6,732 reported spiking incidents in England and Wales, including 957 cases of needle spiking. While spiking isn’t yet a specific crime, ministers pledged measures such as training door staff and investing in spiking testing kits.
Campaigners, including Anna Birley from Reclaim These Streets and Katie Russell from Support After Rape and Sexual Violence Leeds, emphasized that Cleverly’s apology falls short and expressed concern that his remarks could upset the very victims the new policies aim to support.