Tory branch apologises for accidentally saying people with mental health problems ‘should be neutered’

Activists say they meant to write ‘nurtured’ in since-deleted tweet

A Conservative Party branch has apologised after it shared a social media post which said people with mental health problems should be “neutered”.

The tweet, which has subsequently been deleted, was supposed to support the government’s “Every Mind Matters” campaign.

But a typo by Islington Conservatives meant instead of writing “nurtured” they wrote “neutered”.

The branch later clarified and apologised for the post.

“We tweeted this morning about mental health and included a typo that was completely unacceptable,” it wrote. “Please accept this as a genuine mistake and our sincerest apologies over this matter.”

The Every Mind Matters campaign was launched by Public Health England, in partnership with the NHS, earlier this week, to support people with mental health problems.

The campaign aims to provide tips and support-tools to improve mental health, backed by a coalition of health charities and activists.

“Our health – both mental and physical – is an asset that needs to be nurtured,” said Matt Hancock, the health secretary, as it was launched. “Every Mind Matters will benefit us all with an accessible tool to help manage our wellbeing at the click of a button.”

A film narrated by Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Prince William and Kate Middleton was also released to promote the campaign.

However, the initiative comes after scrutiny of the government’s record on mental health due to cuts to services in recent years.

Last year, The Independent reported that mental health trusts had been left with less funding in real terms than they had in 2012, with experts warning patients with mental illnesses were “bearing the brunt” of the cuts.

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, also accused the government in August this year of launching “smash and grab raids” on NHS investment budgets.

He claimed cuts to NHS budgets had resulted in “sub-standard mental health facilities” across the UK.