10 November 2009 / AP, LONDON
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown personally contacted the mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan to say he meant no offense when he misspelled his name in a handwritten letter of condolence, his office said on Monday.
A Downing Street spokesman said that as soon as Brown was notified about this he personally contacted Jacqui Janes to “make absolutely clear that he never meant any offense” and to underline his deepest sympathies for her. The spokesman says Brown expressed admiration and thanks for the sacrifice of her son, 20-year-old Jamie Janes. Brown says he will do whatever he can to help her. In the letter, published in The Sun newspaper, Brown began by writing “Dear Mrs. James.” “I write to offer you and you family my personal condolences,” the scribbled note read. He misspelled “Jamie,” then corrected it by scrawling over the mistake. Mrs. Janes, 47, complained to The Sun that the letter was disrespectful.
