Jacqui Janes gave an emotional interview tonight explaining that she accepted the Prime Minister’s apology over the misspelt letter of condolence sent to mark her son’s death.
The grieving mother, whose son was killed in Afghanistan, denied that she had been manipulated by the media but she admitted that she “felt sorry” for Gordon Brown as the controversy had spiralled out of control. She said she would take up the offer of a private meeting.
“I just feel like I’m being made to look like I’m trying to make Mr Brown look insensitive but I’m not,” she said. “I feel sorry for him - he has got a difficult job.”
The Prime Minister made an emotional statement himself this morning saying that he understood the grief and pain that Mrs Janes and other bereaved families were going through. Without referring directly to the loss of his own daughter, Jennifer, Mr Brown said that he understood the sadness.
Mrs Janes said she had watched the Prime Minister’s press conference earlier today and welcomed his obvious contrition.
Advertisement
“He didn’t sound apologetic in the phone call,” she said. “Today he looked sincere, he looked humbled. . . I accept his apology.”
She said she was pleased that Mr Brown had asked to see the same medical report that she had seen. “I hope that he has the sleepless nights that I’ve had for the past five weeks.”
“Anybody that knows me knows that there’s no way that I can be manipulated by anyone,” she said. “I chose The Sun purely because it’s pro-Army, it’s not political. I have never voted. I’ve got no disrespect for Gordon Brown.”
The issue of Afghanistan dominated Mr Brown’s monthly press conference today, which came as the remains of six fallen soldiers - including five shot dead by a rogue policeman - were repatriated to the UK.
Mr Brown said it was “a time to reflect on the courage and sacrifice of our Armed Forces who in Afghanistan have laid down their lives to ensure our safety and security in Britain”.
Advertisement
A recording of Mr Brown’s 13-minute conversation with Mrs Janes was released today and showed the grieving mother accusing him of failing British troops in Afghanistan.
He was said to have been “mortified” when told of Mrs Janes’s distress over spelling errors in a hand-written letter of condolence, including her surname and the first name of her son, Jamie. He immediately arranged the call to apologise.
Mrs Janes, from Hove in East Sussex, took Mr Brown to task, telling him that her son could have survived his injuries but bled to death, according to a transcript published today in The Sun and a recording released by the newspaper.
Mr Brown said that, when he spoke to Mrs Janes on Sunday night, “I said I was sorry if any offence had been caused. I wanted to assure her that the words I was using, even if she found them difficult to read, were sincerely meant.”
Mr Brown said that he understood, but he had his own strong feelings on the issue and wanted to offer his condolences, rather than engage in a political debate.
Advertisement
At one point in the conversation, Mrs Janes said: “I cannot believe I have been brought down to the level of having an argument with the Prime Minister of my own country.”
Mr Brown denied spelling the name of Mrs Janes’s son’s wrong and blamed his poor handwriting rather than his spelling. She told him: “I beg to differ” and insisted that he had made no fewer than 25 spelling mistakes.
The transcript of the conversation suggests that Mr Brown was surprised by the vehemence of Mrs Janes’s criticisms.
Repeatedly she deflected his attempts to pass on his condolences to talk about equipment shortages in the field, such as the fact that Merlin helicopters used in Iraq had not yet been sent to Afghanistan.
At one point Mr Brown said to the grieving mother: “If you feel strongly that I’ve done you wrong then that’s for you to decide, but I want to assure you that there was never any intention on my part to do anything other than pass on my condolences to you and to your your, your family, understanding that you are a military family and that you have given great service as a family to our country.
Advertisement
“I’m sorry that I have been unable to persuade you of that but that is how I feel, that is that is how I feel.”
She replied: “Right, can I now just say how I feel?”
Mr Brown: “Yes please.”
Mrs Janes: “Many many years ago, in 18-something, somebody said the biggest enemy of our Army was our Treasury ... they were so right.”
Mr Brown: ” I, I...”
Advertisement
Mrs Janes: “Even to this day..”
Mr Brown: “I, I...”
Mrs Janes: “Mr Brown, to this day, I know as fact helping my sons buy equipment themselves before they go to war, I know of every mother, the letters I have received off mothers whose sons have been killed, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, you know, friends of mine that were killed in Northern Ireland.
“I know that our Government are letting our troops down, big time.”