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Boris Johnson has stepped back from his use of a discredited claim against Sir Keir Starmer that he failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile when he was director of public prosecutions (DPP).
After days of criticism over the remark, including from a number of his own Conservative MPs, the prime minister said he wanted to “clarify” the point he was attempting to make.
“I want to be very clear about this because a lot of people have got very hot under the collar, and I understand why,” Mr Johnson said.
“Let’s be absolutely clear, I’m talking not about the Leader of the Opposition‘s personal record when he was DPP and I totally understand that he had nothing to do personally with those decisions.
“I was making a point about his responsibility for the organisation as a whole.
“I really do want to clarify that because it is important.”
‘Ridiculous slur’
Facing Mr Johnson at PMQs on Wednesday, Sir Keir challenged the PM over his remarks, which were made in the Commons on Monday as he faced MPs in the wake of the release of a partial version of Sue Gray’s partygate report.
The Labour leader accused him of using the “conspiracy theories of violent fascists” to score political points, having described it as a “ridiculous slur peddled by right-wing trolls” during an interview with Sky News on Tuesday.
Mr Johnson replied: “On his first point, I don’t want to make heavy weather of this but I am told that in 2013, he apologised and took full responsibility for what had happened on his watch.
“I think that was the right thing to do.”
Sir Keir Starmer was director of public prosecutions from 2008 to 2013
Former BBC television and radio presenter Savile, who died in 2011, is believed to be one of Britain’s most prolific sex offenders.
He was never brought to justice…
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Source : skynews
