Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle slapped down Boris Johnson today for using an “untrue slur” about Jimmy Savile and Sir Keir Starmer.
The Speaker said the Prime Minister’s comments were not “disorderly”, but warned they would “inflame opinions and generate disregard for the House”.
He added: “I am far from satisfied that the comments in question were appropriate on this occasion.”
The flailing Prime Minister tried to associate Labour ’s leader with the notorious paedophile entertainer in a Commons outburst that was slammed even by his own MPs.
Sir Keir led the Crown Prosecution Service when it decided not to prosecute Savile in 2009 due to insufficient evidence, a decision it later apologised for.
But the Full Fact website investigated in 2020 and found it had never actually been suggested that Sir Keir was personally involved in the decision.
Instead, the CPS said: “The reviewing lawyer at the time set out their own reasons for the decisions they took”.
Despite this, the cornered PM lashed out yesterday, saying: “He spent most of his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile, as far as I can make out.”
He also bizarrely insinuated the Labour frontbench was on drugs, without evidence.
Labour MP Christian Matheson said in the PM’s “bluster and thrashing about stream of unconsciousness”, “he threw in the question of Jimmy Savile”.
Mr Matheson said: “I think it was found he was factually wrong on that. There are many many victims of that awful awful person, and for him to use that scandal and that tragedy the way he did, I felt was inappropriate, tasteless, and perhaps out of order.”
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, responding to the point of order, told MPs: “I am not responsible for members’ contributions and will seek not to intervene unless something is said which is disorderly.
“Procedurally nothing disorderly occurred but such allegations should not be made lightly, especially in view of the guidance of Erskine May about good temper, moderation being the characteristics of parliamentary debate.
“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. Please, let us show each other respect as well as tolerance going forward.”
Mr Johnson was “strongly advised” not to make the Savile reference according to the Financial Times - which quoted one Tory MP branding it “totally outrageous”.
“I was really struck yesterday in the House at how many Conservative MPs were disgusted at that untruth from the despatch box.
“Of course on our side, people were disgusted. But his own MPs couldn’t believe their Prime Minister had stooped that low.
“He’s degraded the whole office. And this is how he operates. He drags everybody into the gutter with him.
“Everybody he touches, everybody that comes into contact with him is contaminated by this Prime Minister.”
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab admitted “I can’t substantiate that" - despite trying to brush it off as "the cut and thrust of parliamentary debates and exchanges".
Tory MP Julian Smith said: “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.”
Asked if the PM would withdraw his remarks, his official spokesman said: “I haven’t asked him that question I’m afraid”.
