MP for Brent, Dawn Butler, who is, as she will regularly remind you, 'one of only two black women in parliament', revealed that she had received a gushing letter of support from President Obama.
It read: "Having met Dawn Butler MP I can see why she is one of only two black women in parliament. She is bright, intelligent and determined. I say to the people of Brent you should have the audacity of hope and when someone asks you can she do it, you respond yes we can. Barack Obama”
Presumably the hilarity of the phrase, 'when someone asks you can she do it, you respond yes we can', was lost on Dawn Butler.
Ms Butler said: “For Obama to be impressed with me as one of only two black female politicians humbles me greatly".
The letter was then posted on the MP's website.
There were, however, two clues that all was not as it seemed. Firstly the letter was printed on House of Commons headed notepaper, and secondly Barack (or Barak according to the letter) was spelt wrong.
After being widely ridiculed, it was revealed by Ms Butler’s spokesperson that while the wording of the letter had been a “collaborative effort” approved jointly by Mr Obama and Ms Butler’s office, the request for an endorsement and the initial text had originated from Ms Butler’s office. The letter had apparently been printed in Ms Butler’s office but was signed by Mr Obama on meeting Ms Butler during his visit to the UK last year.
That's the equivalent of me writing my own reference.
The letter was temporarily removed from the MP’s website but was reinstated with the House of Commons insignia removed and Barack Obama's name spelt correctly.
Classic.
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