Gordon Brown 'mortified' by condolence letter errors
The Prime Minister was said to have been "mortified" when told of Jacqui Janes' distress over the handwritten message, immediately arranging a telephone call to say sorry.
She accused Mr Brown of being "disrespectful" as the message began "Dear Mrs James" and appeared to contain other spelling errors and a visible correction to her son Jamie's name.
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Hide AdThe 20-year-old Grenadier Guardsman was killed by an explosion on 5 October.
Mr Brown, who writes personal letters to all bereaved families, said he had not intended to cause any offence and took his responsibility to them very seriously. And he extended his apology to all of those whose relatives in the armed forces had been killed "if my handwriting is difficult to read".
The Prime Minister's writing has often come under scrutiny, with eyesight problems caused by a rugby accident in his youth blamed by some for the occasionally near-illegible script.