Boris Johnson came under increasing pressure on Monday to issue a full apology to Sir Keir Starmer, after the prime minister’s “Trump-style” speech was involved in a crowd around the Laotian leader. action at Westminster.
Starmer must be bundled into a police car after a crowd, some of them shouting “pedophilia”, surrounded the Labor leader and shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy. Two people were arrested.
The case created great pressure between the parties to force Johnson to apologize fully, alleging that Starmer, as director of public prosecutions, “spent most of his time” not indicting Jimmy Savile as a pedophile.
It also reopened questions about Johnson’s leadership, after a relatively calm day in which his new Downing Street team start to work. On Monday, he sang “I Will Survive” with his new communications director, Guto Harri.
The scene of anti-vax protesters surrounding Starmer with shouts of “traitor” and “Jimmy Savile” was condemned by MPs from all sides, with calls for Johnson to withdraw his remarks entirely. last week.
“It’s not surprising that conspiracy theorists have harassed Keir Starmer and I have repeated the insults we heard from Boris Johnson last week at the shipping box,” Lammy said.
Julian Smith, a former Tory prime minister, was one of seven Tory MPs to publicly demand an apology from the prime minister. He say: “What happened to Keir Starmer tonight outside of parliament is appalling.
“What’s really important to our democracy and to his safety is that the false Savile slurs against him have been retracted in their entirety.”
Johnson last week “Clear” his comment – he said he only noted Starmer’s responsibility to the Crown Prosecution Service – and on Monday he joined the condemnation of crowd scenes in Westminster.
“The conduct directed at the Leader of the Opposition tonight is absolutely disgraceful,” he tweeted. “Any form of harassment of our elected representatives is completely unacceptable. I thank the police for their quick response. ”
But a respected Conservative Party official said the incident was “very serious” and cabinet ministers were discussing the implications for the prime minister.
“The impact of this can be measured by the public’s sympathy for Keir as well as the antipathy towards Boris, which is already ingrained,” the Conservatives said. “He should write an appropriate letter to Keir expressing remorse and respect.”
Chris Bryant, Labor Chair of the Commons standards committee, said Johnson had taken a leaf out of the “Donald Trump playbook”, by playing into right-wing conspiracy theories.
“This is despicable,” he said. “It was intentional. It’s not coincidental – it’s an attempt to incite a crowd online or in person. “That’s not how we do politics in this country,” he added.
The Conservatives last week won a by-election in Southend West by David Amess’ deathwho was stabbed to death at an election surgery last October.
The Metropolitan Police said on Monday night that a man and a woman were arrested after a traffic cone was thrown at officers at the scene in Westminster. Starmer was not injured in the incident.
Penny Mordaunt, a minister believed to be eyeing a Tory leadership bid if Johnson is ousted, tweeted shortly after the event of “horrifying scenes”, adding: “This should be condemned. by all.”
Sajid Javid, the health secretary, last week praised Starmer’s work as DPP and on Monday night tweeted: “There is no place for intimidation or harassment in our democracy. I am grateful to the police for their prompt intervention.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week also shied away from Johnson’s remarks, saying he would not make them. Munira Mirza, head of policy unit No 10, quit because Johnson refused to apologize fully.
Starmer last week defendant Johnson “describe the conspiracy theories of violent fascists” for political gain. Right-wing groups in the US have also alleged that pedophiles are at the forefront of American politics.
