Exclusive:
Just days after The Mirror reported that James Cleverly took his wife to Wimbledon and denied she was there, we can reveal he did the same for the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney
James Cleverly’s Tory leadership campaign has been rocked after he was caught out taking his wife to ANOTHER freebie sporting event and denying she was there.
The Mirror can reveal that Mr Cleverly was joined by wife Susannah at the Women’s World Cup Final in Sydney last summer. The pair were pictured smiling at the Stadium Australia on August 20.
Yet when the then-Foreign Secretary declared the free tickets through his Government department, he said “no” when asked if he’d taken a family member or friend. It comes days after he was forced to admit a similar “mistake” when The Mirror reported Mrs Cleverly was also at the Wimbledon men’s singles final a month earlier.
It is a fresh blow to the Tory leadership contender, who last week told party members: “We win back voters by being honest, by being professional, by being conservative.” A spokesman for Mr Cleverly confirmed that a second error had been made in relation to the World Cup final and the Foreign Office has been asked to correct it.
The Shadow Home Secretary is among the frontrunners to take over from Rishi Sunak as Conservative Party leader. Tory MPs will narrow the four candidates – also including Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat – down to two on Thursday.
The Mirror can reveal that Mr and Mrs Cleverly travelled to Australia to watch the historic game, where they were guests of world football body FIFA. Mrs Cleverly donned a red England scarf as she made her way into the stadium alongside her husband.
Unfortunately the Lionesses were beaten 1-0 by Spain. As Mr Cleverly was there in his capacity as a Government minister, a Tory loophole means he didn’t have to reveal the cost of the hospitality.
Labour has vowed to abolish this rule, which was brought in under David Cameron in 2015. When ministers accept hospitality, cleared through officials, they are required to say whether a spouse, family member or friend joined them.
Mr Cleverly said ‘no’ to this question when he declared hospitality for both sporting events. But pictures show him sitting side-by-side with Mrs Cleverly watching the Wimbledon final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic on July 16 last year.
The then-Foreign Secretary also had lunch in the President’s Suite as a guest of the Lawn Tennis Association. Just one month later he and Mrs Cleverly were at the Women’s World Cup final Down Under.
While he was at the stadium Mr Cleverly met foreign officials and dignitaries including Queen Letizia of Spain. His office said the Foreign Office had been contacted to correct the error. A spokesman for the Shadow Home Secretary said: “James has always been fully transparent with any gifts and hospitality received. In this case there was a mistake in the declaration and we have contacted the FCDO to ask them to rectify it.”
It comes amid a backlash over rules that mean ministers can avoid declaring the cost of hospitality and gifts. Other freebies declared by Mr Cleverly through Government departments include tickets to a Six Nations rugby match, a film premiere and a dinner celebrating a new art exhibition.
When he was Foreign Secretary Mr Cleverly accepted the Wimbledon tickets and the World Cup final tickets, as well as a film premiere ticket from Warner Bros in February 2023. His office declined to say which film Mr Cleverly watched, but Warner Bros releases around that time included Magic Mike’s Last Dance, Mummies, Creed III and Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
After becoming Home Secretary in November 2023 he was gifted a pair of tickets by Sky for a Six Nations match between England and Wales in February this year. In the same month, he and a guest enjoyed a private dinner to mark the opening of the John Singer Sargent and Fashion exhibition at Tate Britain.
Hospitality offered via Government departments is received and cleared by officials, and can’t be declared by an MP’s Parliamentary office.
