British prime minister Rishi Sunak faced controversy yet again as it was revealed that the premier has been using pens with erasable ink. The discovery made by The Guardian raised fresh security concerns over the secrecy of the documents that Rishi Sunak has signed during his tenure at 10, Downing Street.
The UK prime minister is regularly seen using the disposable "Pilot V" fountain pens and has been photographed making cabinet notes, working on government papers and signing official letters at international summits using the same pen, the report claimed. The pen carries an "erasable ink" logo and is marketed by the company as “ideal for those learning to write with ink because if you make a mistake, the ink erases using standard ink eradicators”.
This raised concerns as Rishi Sunak's hand-written notes and other documents where he has used the pen can be erased. Although Rishi Sunak's office said that the ‘erasing’ feature of the pen has not been used by the UK PM.
“This is a pen provided by and used widely by the civil service. The prime minister has never used the erase function and nor would he," his press secretary was quoted as saying.
Read more: Celebrities ‘distancing’ from Prince Harry-Meghan? No one wants ‘drama that they…’
But his opponents took the opportunity to target him and held the UK PM accountable for his actions.
{{/usCountry}}But his opponents took the opportunity to target him and held the UK PM accountable for his actions.
{{/usCountry}}“When trust in politicians is at an all-time low, the PM signing official documents in erasable ink could push it through the floor and into the basement," Tom Brake, a former Liberal Democrat MP, said, adding, “Erasable ink, lost mobile phones and disappearing WhatsApp messages all add to a picture of a cavalier attitude towards ensuring government is accountable for its actions.”
Experts have also said that official documents signed by Rishi Sunak could easily be fudged by removing the PM's scribbled notes.