Energy Secretary Fahnbulleh said she stood behind the home secretary’s approach to migration policy after acknowledging that she had not “got it right” in comments she made to journalists about a recent television interview.
Speaking to reporters, Fahnbulleh accepted that her earlier remarks had been poorly expressed and said she regretted the way she had presented her views. She reiterated her backing for the home secretary and said ministers should present a united front on the issue.
Migration has been a prominent and often contentious topic in public debate, and exchanges between ministers and the media have drawn close attention. Fahnbulleh’s intervention, though brief, underlined the sensitivity within government to how ministers’ comments are reported and interpreted in the press.
Opposition parties and commentators have frequently scrutinised ministers’ public statements on migration, and Fahnbulleh’s admission is likely to feed into that wider scrutiny. Government spokespeople did not elaborate further on any policy implications, saying the focus remained on the home secretary’s plans.
The episode highlights the pressure on cabinet colleagues to manage both policy and communications carefully. Fahnbulleh, whose ministerial brief is in the energy department, said she would be careful in future exchanges with journalists but reiterated her support for the home secretary’s position.