A Conservative MP has issued an apology for writing “insert if there has been a bereavement” in an email to a constituent.
Anthony Mangnall, who was elected as the MP for Totnes in 2019 after defeating the former Conservative turned Change UK turned Liberal Democrat incumbent Sarah Wollaston, said he is “incredibly sorry” for a "stupid" mistake, explaining that the line was kept in a single response to hundreds of emails he had received about top government advisor Dominic Cummings controversial breach of lockdown during a trip to Durham.
That response contained some 'insert lines' that allowed me to respond to specific issues and concerns raised. I stupidly sent out one of those emails without having removed the additional lines.
— Anthony Mangnall MP (@AnthonyMangnal1) May 30, 2020
This has caused a great deal of offence and I am incredibly sorry.
The Totnes MP revealed the era in an extract he posted on social media which shows the third paragraph including in his response “[Insert if there has been a bereavement: May I add my condolences to the recent loss of your family member".
“The current situation has made the ability to mourn the passing of loved ones all the more difficult. I send my best wishes to you and your family.]”
You are not going to believe what Conservative MP Anthony Mangnall is sending out to people who’ve lost loved ones to Coronavirus.
— Nick🇬🇧🇪🇺 (@nicktolhurst) May 30, 2020
Incredible.
👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/Y6my3XNiMH
Mr Mangnall said that he “shares many of the concerns” of his constituents over the Cummings incident and that he would not have taken the same “course of action” but refrained from demanding the chief aids resignation.
