One of Boris Johnson’s most loyal aides has resigned over his use of a “scurrilous” Jimmy Savile smear against Sir Keir Starmer, further imperilling the British prime minister’s grip on power.
Munira Mirza quit as Number 10’s head of policy on Thursday after the British prime minister refused to apologise for the “partisan reference to a horrendous case of child sex abuse”.
UK chancellor Rishi Sunak, who has not ruled out a leadership bid if Mr Johnson is toppled, praised Ms Mirza as a “valued colleague” and directly criticised the prime minister’s remarks, saying “I wouldn’t have said it”.
Mr Johnson had earlier backtracked on the widely criticised and debunked claim that the Labour leader failed to prosecute Savile while director of public prosecutions (DPP).
But Ms Mirza, a long-time ally since his days as London mayor, said she was quitting after the prime minister stopped short of giving the apology she demanded.
“I believe it was wrong for you to imply this week that Keir Starmer was personally responsible for allowing Jimmy Savile to escape justice,” a letter seen by the Spectator magazine read.
“There was no fair or reasonable basis for that assertion. This was not the usual cut and thrust of politics; it was an inappropriate and partisan reference to a horrendous case of child sex abuse. You tried to clarify your position today but, despite my urging, you did not apologise for the misleading impression you gave.
“You are a better man than many of your detractors will ever understand which is why it is so desperately sad that you let yourself down by making a scurrilous accusation against the Leader of the Opposition.”
Downing Street said in a statement it was “very sorry” that she was quitting, as Tory MP Andrew Griffith was swiftly appointed to fill her role.
The resignation of one of his most loyal allies, who has worked with him for more than a decade, leaves the prime minister further isolated as he battles to remain leader.
The Tory revolt against Mr Johnson over allegations of lockdown-breaching parties in Number 10 has been growing, with 13 Conservative MPs calling for his resignation.
Mr Johnson once praised Ms Mirza as a “brilliant thinker” and listed her as one of the five women who had influenced and inspired him the most.
The chancellor was asked about her resignation and Mr Johnson’s remarks while appearing at a press conference in No 10 over the cost of living crisis.
“She was a valued colleague. I very much enjoyed working with her and I’m sorry to see her leave Government. I’ll miss working with her,” Mr Sunak said.
“With regards to the comments, being honest I wouldn’t have said it and I’m glad the Prime Minister clarified what he meant.”
Dominic Cummings, the former chief aide to Number 10 who is agitating for the prime minister’s removal, said her resignation was an “unmistakable signal the bunker is collapsing”, adding that the “PM is finished”.
Moral courage from Munira who has done her best to make progress with a professional team throughout the horror since 11/20. It's also an unmistakeable signal the bunker is collapsing & *this PM is finished*.
Flicker of moral courage from Cabinet & Cabinet Office asap please— Dominic Cummings (@Dominic2306) February 3, 2022
On Monday, Mr Johnson accused Mr Starmer of having “used his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile” as he came under huge pressure in the Commons over Sue Gray’s report into alleged lockdown breaches.
The deployment of the falsehood for political gain further enraged Tory MPs and led to criticism from lawyers representing Savile’s victims.
The prime minister tried to backtrack on his claim on Thursday, trying to insist he was not referring to Mr Starmer “personal record”.
“I want to be very clear about this because a lot of people have got very hot under the collar, and I understand why,” he told broadcasters in Blackpool.
“Let’s be absolutely clear, I’m talking not about the Leader of the Opposition’s personal record when he was DPP and I totally understand that he had nothing to do personally with those decisions. I was making a point about his responsibility for the organisation as a whole.
“I really do want to clarify that because it is important.”
The prime minister had been refusing to withdraw the claim, and maintained his stance in an interview with The Sun by saying the slur was “fairly accurate”.
During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, he went on to point to the fact that Mr Starmer apologised while DPP in 2013 for the CPS having failed to bring Savile to justice four years earlier.
But there is no evidence that Mr Starmer had any personal role in the failure to prosecute the man who was one of Britain’s most egregious sex offenders before his death in 2011.
The Labour leader accused Mr Johnson of “parroting the conspiracy theories of violent fascists to try to score cheap political points”.
Mr Johnson’s retreat over the remarks came after cabinet ministers were sent out to defend the prime minister's deployment of the conspiracy theory said to have been spread by supporters of the far-right.
There were questions over whether Dougie Smith, who is Ms Mirza’s husband, will also quit as an aide to No 10.
Earlier in the day, Mr Sunak refused to rule out a leadership bid if Mr Johnson is forced out over “partygate” allegations.
Seen as a likely frontrunner, Mr Sunak insisted the prospect of a leadership contest remained a “hypothetical situation” and the Prime Minister had his full support.
However, in a BBC interview he acknowledged that some Conservative MPs would like to see him replace Mr Johnson in No 10.
“Well, that’s very kind of them of them to suggest that, but what I think people want from me is to focus on my job,” he said.
“I know a few of my colleagues have said that and they’ll have their reasons for doing that, but I don’t think that’s the situation we’re in.
“The Prime Minister has my full support. And what people want from me is to be getting on with my job, which is what I’m doing.”
His comments came after three more Tory MPs disclosed publicly on Wednesday that they had submitted letters calling for a vote of no confidence in the prime minister.
Other Tory MPs are thought to be waiting for the publication of the Gray inquiry, which has been delayed due to the ongoing Metropolitan Police investigation into 12 gatherings over the course of 2020 and 2021.
