A VICTIM of Jimmy Savile has spoken out after Boris Johnson wrongly insinuated that the Labour leader was responsible for Jimmy Savile not being prosecuted for sexual abuse crimes.
While defending himself in the House of Commons on Monday, after an update to the Sue Gray partygate report was published, the Prime Minister launched an attack on Sir Keir Starmer who was once director of public prosecutions.
As he faced calls to resign due to scathing findings in the Gray report, Johnson took aim at the Labour leader saying that he spent his time as director “prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile”.
READ MORE: 'Debasing himself': Starmer says Boris Johnson like 'right-wing trolls' over Savile slur
The claim comes from right-wing talking points shared online which falsely claim Starmer while head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had stopped Savile from being prosecuted.
A victim of Savile, identified as Miss A, has spoken to LBC about how "furious" she was with the Prime Minister's "flippant" comments.
Miss A said: "To have the PM say this ... I was furious. It was like he was using it as a flippant thing for other people's purposes.
"It triggered all the flashbacks, the memories. I can't begin to tell you how upset I was. It was so unnecessary."
When asked about whether Johnson should withdraw the comments, Miss A added: "Maybe it might be a lesson to other people - that please think of other victims of rape and sexual abuse.
"Think of them for a change, not just what you want to do."
READ MORE: Blackford stands by Johnson comments: 'I’ve stood up for my constituents'
It comes as Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle publically rebuked the PM for the insinuation about Starmer after the former Tory chief whip urged Johnson to withdraw them.
Julian Smith MP, the former Northern Ireland secretary and Tory chief whip, described thew comments as a "smear" against the Labour leader, saying they were "wrong and cannot be defended".
He added: "It should be withdrawn. False and baseless personal slurs are dangerous, corrode trust and can’t just be accepted as part of the cut and thrust of parliamentary debate.”
The smear made against Keir Starmer relating to Jimmy Saville yesterday is wrong & cannot be defended. It should be withdrawn. False and baseless personal slurs are dangerous, corrode trust & can't just be accepted as part of the cut & thrust of parliamentary debate.
— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) February 1, 2022
Following a point of order by Labour MP Chris Matheson on Tuesday, Hoyle said that he was disappointed by the discourse.
Hoyle stated that “procedurally nothing disorderly occurred but such allegations should not be made lightly”.
He added: “While they may not have been disorderly, I am far from satisfied that the comments in question were appropriate on this occasion.
“I want to see more compassionate, reasonable politics in this House and the sort of comment can only inflame opinions and generate disregard for this House.
“I’ve got to say I want a nicer Parliament, the only way we can get a nicer Parliament is being more honourable in the debates we have.”
READ MORE: Boris Johnson to publish Sue Gray report in full after facing angry Tory MPs
Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab insisted the comments were part of the “cut and thrust” of Commons debates.
But he said he was “certainly not repeating it” during a broadcast interview, without the protection of parliamentary privilege.
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