The British Conservative Party has descended into chaotic infighting following the defection of former Home Secretary Suella Braverman to Reform UK. In a stunning display of political vitriol followed by a humiliating retreat, Tory headquarters was forced to withdraw an official briefing that weaponized Braverman’s "mental health" to explain her departure.

The incident marks a new low in the implosion of the once-dominant party. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-15)Moments after Braverman appeared alongside Nigel Farage to announce her defection, Conservative HQ released a statement claiming, "The Conservatives did all we could to look after Suella's mental health, but she was clearly very unhappy." The briefing was intended to undermine her credibility but instead ignited a firestorm of condemnation from across the political spectrum.

"A New Low in British Politics"

The backlash was instant and ferocious. Senior Tories broke ranks to condemn their own party's machine. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-17)Conservative peer Lord Stewart Jackson described the statement as "nasty, unpleasant, and likely to lose us thousands more votes." Even political opponents rallied to Braverman's defense, with Labour MP Sojan Joseph, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on mental health, calling the comments "frankly appalling" and a trivialization of genuine mental illness.

The briefing was seen by many as a desperate attempt to stem the bleeding of the Tory right wing to Reform UK, but the tactic backfired spectacularly, painting the party establishment as vindictive and out of touch.

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• The Defection: Braverman joined Reform UK claiming the Tories had "left the building" and no longer represented conservative values. She is the third high-profile defection in recent weeks.
• The Apology: Facing a mutiny, the Tory press office issued a retraction hours later, scrubbing the mental health reference and claiming the initial statement was a "draft sent in error."
• The Fallout: The blunder has overshadowed the government’s attempts to launch a new policing strategy, keeping the focus firmly on the party's internal disintegration.

A Party in Panic Mode

Reform UK sources seized on the gaffe, calling it a "gross affront" and evidence that the Conservatives are in "real panic mode." For Nigel Farage, the clumsy attack was a political gift, reinforcing his narrative that the Tories are a "broken brand" incapable of dignified leadership.

The "mental health" smear has likely done irreversible damage to the Tory brand, alienating not just Braverman's supporters but decent-minded voters repulsed by the personal nature of the attack. As Braverman settles into her new political home, the Conservatives are left picking up the pieces of a self-inflicted PR disaster.