Boris Johnson latest news: Starmer accuses PM of ‘parroting fascists’
Boris Johnson refuses to retract Savile smear after being accused of ‘parroting fascists’
The prime minister has refused to withdraw his false claim in the Commons that Sir Keir Starmer was behind the failure to prosecute Jimmy Savile, despite calls from some of his own MPs to do so.
Labour leader Sir Keir accused Boris Johnson of “parroting fascists” with the Savile smear as the pair clashed over the row at PMQs. He also asked Conservative backbenchers to rally against their leader, who he said was peddling “conspiracy theories of violent fascists to try to score cheap political points”.
Hours before the pair’s standoff, another Tory MP publicly called time on Mr Johnson’s premiership, announcing he would submit a letter of no confidence later today, insisting the PM should trigger his own vote rather than wait for the 54-letter threshold.
“The question now is, ‘is the prime minister the best person to lead the party moving forward?’” Tobias Ellwood, chair of the Commons defence committee, told Sky News. “I don’t think he realises how worried people are in every corner of the party.” Mr Ellwood joins around 10 other Tories who have publicly confirmed they have submitted letters to the party’s 1922 committee.
Households to be given £200 towards soaring energy bills
UK households are to be offered discounts of around £200 on their energy bills – but suppliers said the size of the scheme was disappointing and would cover only around a third of the expected jump in costs this year. Ben Chapman reports:
Jane Dalton2 February 2022 14:06
Only Johnson can open investigation into Johnson’s lying to parliament
There is unlikely to be a legal shortcut to making the prime minister resign, thanks to the UK’s weak oversight system. Analysis by Jon Stone :
Jane Dalton2 February 2022 13:58
Starmer apology over Savile publicly recorded, says No 10
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s apology for the Crown Prosecution Service’s failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile is a “matter of public record”, according to a spokeswoman for Boris Johnson.
The prime minister’s press secretary, asked by reporters whether he still believed Sir Keir acted “improperly” while director of public prosecutions, said: “On that, we were simply pointing out Sir Keir Starmer’s record as leader.
“You’ve got what the prime minister said today, which is that in 2013 Keir Starmer apologised and took full responsibility for what happened on his watch, and that that was the right thing to do.”
Pressed on whether Mr Johnson was confident he was not fuelling “conspiracy theories of violent fascists” – as Sir Keir called the claim in the Commons – his spokeswoman said: “It is all entirely a matter of public record about what happened at the time, and Sir Keir Starmer’s apology at the time is a matter of public record – you can find it for yourself online.”
Jane Dalton2 February 2022 13:40
Watch: Starmer accuses govt of ‘treating taxpayer as ATM for their mates’
Starmer accuses government of ‘treating taxpayer as ATM for their mates’
Sam Hancock2 February 2022 13:22
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