BORIS Johnson has been labelled a “complete disgrace” after he "smirked" when asked about death threats sent to Labour party leader Keir Starmer.
The Prime Minister was accused of using attack lines taken from the far-right after he said Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions for England and Wales, had “spent most of his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile”.
The parroting of the disinformation from the despatch box was followed by a wave of resignations at No 10 and outrage among the Tory and opposition parties.
Although Johnson then seemed to back down from the comment, he has repeatedly refused to apologise. Calls for a retraction grew after Starmer was mobbed on the street by a group of people heard repeating the Savile smear.
READ MORE: Anti-lockdown protester who mobbed Keir Starmer is former Tory councillor
Police are also now investigating death threats made against the Labour leader, who told BBC Radio Newcastle: “What the Prime Minister said was wrong, it was very wrong. He knew exactly what he was doing.
“There has been a right-wing conspiracy theory for some time that’s a complete fabrication.
“He fed into that, and that has caused difficulty, but my preference, if I may, is not to talk about that because, as I say, I have got young children.”
Asked about those death threats during his visit to Scotland, Johnson could be seen “smirking”.
“I’ve said more than enough about that issue,” is all he would say.
.@BorisJohnson says he's said 'more than enough' about his discredited Jimmy Savile slur after @Keir_Starmer confirmed he'd received death threats since the claim was made https://t.co/KthO0TSHZd pic.twitter.com/VXm2mtwwbG
— ITV News Politics (@ITVNewsPolitics) February 14, 2022
In the wake of the interview, the Prime Minister was criticised by Labour MP Karl Turner.
Turner wrote: “Johnson smirking and smiling on being told that the leader of HM Opposition has received death threats following liar Johnson’s Savile slur.
“What a complete disgrace, dishonest Johnson is beneath contempt. Completely unfit for office.”
His Labour MP colleague Justin Madders wrote: “The Eton schoolboy is still there with that smirking.”
Referring to the sitting Labour and Tory MPs murdered in recent years, campaign group Best for Britain added: “That smirk. After David Amess. After Jo Cox. How can he still not take this seriously?”
Former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell wrote: “Look at his little smile … the success of knowing that something he launched landed where he wanted it to.”
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