This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8353441.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Soldier's mother hits out at PM Jacqui Janes accepts PM's apology
(about 2 hours later)
The mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan has said she hopes the prime minister has "sleepless nights". Bereaved mother Jacqui Janes has said she accepts Gordon Brown's apology for mistakes made in a letter of condolence about her son's death in Afghanistan.
Jacqui Janes said that, in a handwritten letter of condolence from Gordon Brown, her son Jamie's name appeared to have been corrected. In an ITN interview, she said Mr Brown had looked "humbled" and "sincere" at a press conference, but had not appeared "apologetic" in an earlier phonecall.
She told ITN she was angry that the prime minister "couldn't be bothered to start again". Mrs Janes's son, Guardsman Jamie Janes, 20, was killed in Helmand in October.
Mr Brown told a press conference earlier: "The last thing on my mind was to cause any offence." She had described Mr Brown's letter as a "hastily scrawled insult". Mr Brown said earlier he understood her pain.
Guardsman Janes, of 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards, was killed in an explosion in October while on foot patrol in Helmand province.Guardsman Janes, of 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards, was killed in an explosion in October while on foot patrol in Helmand province.
'Difficult job''Difficult job'
In an interview, Mrs Janes - who also says that the prime minister misspelt her surname "James" in the letter - said other mothers of dead soldiers who had received notes of condolence felt "similarly" aggrieved. Mr Brown had sent his mother a handwritten letter, but she criticised him for apparently misspelling his name as "James" and other errors. He then telephoned her and said he had apologised - but this was challenged by Mrs Janes.
She said: "I'm pleased that he's taken the time, so is every other mother. But a bit more compassion, just to have started [writing the letter] again maybe."
I'm a parent who understands the feelings when something goes terribly, terribly wrong Gordon Brown I feel soldier mother's pain - PMI'm a parent who understands the feelings when something goes terribly, terribly wrong Gordon Brown I feel soldier mother's pain - PM
Mrs Janes, from Brighton, East Sussex, said she felt "sorry" for Mr Brown, as he was doing a "difficult" job. The prime minister, who suffers from poor eyesight, was questioned about it at his regular press conference on Tuesday and said the last thing on his mind was to cause any offence.
Mr Brown, whose 10-day-old baby daughter Jennifer Jane died in 2002, said: "I'm a parent also.
"I feel the pain of people who lose their loved ones. I understand when people are grieving that they are looking for the answers that I talked about earlier.
"I'm a parent who understands the feelings when something goes terribly, terribly wrong and I understand how long it takes to handle the grief that we have all experienced."
He also said: "I feel for the mother's grief. I understand the pain that she is going through.
"It's a terrible personal sadness and raises questions in your mind about what could have been done."
'Clumsy at worst'
In an interview, Mrs Janes said: "He didn't sound apologetic in the phone call. He said sorry an awful lot, sorry that I didn't understand his writing, sorry that I this or I that - referring to me. Today he looked sincere, he looked humbled."
She said she felt sorry for Mr Brown: "He's got a difficult job, I'm not debating that, I wouldn't like his job personally."
Guardsman Janes died in Helmand province in October
Mrs Janes, from Brighton, East Sussex, said other mothers of dead soldiers who had received notes of condolence felt "similarly" aggrieved.
She said: "I'm pleased that he's taken the time, so is every other mother. But a bit more compassion, just to have started [writing the letter] again maybe."
She added that more needed to be done to equip troops serving in Afghanistan.She added that more needed to be done to equip troops serving in Afghanistan.
Mr Brown, who suffers from poor eyesight, told his monthly press conference earlier: "I'm a parent who understands the feelings when something goes terribly, terribly wrong and I understand how long it takes to handle the grief that we have all experienced."
He also said: "I apologised to Jacqui Janes yesterday for any mistakes that had been made.
"I also said to anybody whom I have written to, if my writing is difficult to read, I apologise for that."
Mr Brown said he had ordered a "full report" into Guardsman Janes's death.Mr Brown said he had ordered a "full report" into Guardsman Janes's death.
Falklands War veteran Simon Weston came to Mr Brown's defence, saying his letter to Mrs Janes was "clumsy at worst".Falklands War veteran Simon Weston came to Mr Brown's defence, saying his letter to Mrs Janes was "clumsy at worst".
He said: "A hand-written letter is something not a lot of us get in life any more. He said: "A handwritten letter is something not a lot of us get in life any more.
"I think it was something done with the greatest of sincerity, but certainly not with any malice aforethought to damage or to insult."I think it was something done with the greatest of sincerity, but certainly not with any malice aforethought to damage or to insult.
"I think we need to go back a little bit and take stock of what is really important.""I think we need to go back a little bit and take stock of what is really important."