Gordon Brown sends condolence letter two years late
Soldier’s dad hits out at Prime Minister
Published:
THE father of a soldier killed in Afghanistan received a condolence letter from the Prime Minister nearly two years after his son died, it emerged today.
Trooper Jack Sadler, 21, of the Honourable Artillery Company, was killed on December 4, 2007, when his vehicle was caught up in a blast in Helmand Province.
But his father Ian said he only received a handwritten letter from Gordon Brown on November 17, 2009, accompanied by a typed apology from an aide to the Prime Minister.
Mr Sadler, from Exmouth, Devon, said: “Jack was killed on December 4, 2007, and I received a letter of condolence from the Prime Minister with no date on it on November 17, 2009.
“I have a letter apologising, not from the Prime Minister, but from Jeremy Heywood who is his permanent secretary, apologising that an administrative mistake resulted in my not receiving a letter from the Prime Minister.
“It’s not good is it? Nearly two years later and the PM hasn’t apologised, just his aide.”
In his letter, Mr Heywood reportedly said: “The Prime Minister wanted to write to you at the earliest opportunity to correct the mistake that was made.”
He added: “Please accept my and the Prime Minister’s apologies for the distress this may have caused and my most sincere condolences for your loss.”
A Downing Street spokesman said: “When the Prime Minister was told about the mistake, he ordered an urgent internal review by the MoD and No 10 to ensure that this mistake had not happened elsewhere.
