Conservatives criticised for using mental health as a "political football" in Suella Braverman's defection to Reform UK

Brian Dow, deputy chief executive of the Rethink Mental Illness charity, was critical of the Tories after its initial statement cited the MP for Fareham and Waterlooville’s mental health. It was later taken off the statement with shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith admitting it was a wrong to have been included in the first place.

The initial statement included the following sentence: “The Conservatives did all we could to look after Suella’s mental health, but she was clearly very unhappy.”

In response Mr Dow said that employers should not disclose any details regarding the mental health of their employees or former staff.

He said: “Doing so says far more about them than the person they are referring to. People living with mental ill-health do not deserve to have their experiences trivialised or used as a political football.”

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Mr Griffith told the Press Association the initial line was wrong. He said: “I think that was wrong. We should be here in Westminster competing on the quality of ideas. Who’s got the best plans to restore our great country.

“The party retracted that and they said it was a mistake. Human beings do make mistakes, but it was always wrong to put that in there.”

Ms Braverman called the Tory response to her defection as a “bit pathetic” with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage calling it “pretty abusive”.