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Politics
Kate Plummer
Feb 02, 2022
PM has nothing to apologise for over Jimmy Savile claim, Gove insists
Independent
Michael Gove has attracted anger after saying that Boris Johnson need not apologise for comments he made about Keir Starmer and Jimmy Savile in the commons earlier this week.
The prime minister had claimed that the leader of the opposition failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile while director of public prosecutions, despite fact-checking charity Full Fact finding this to be false in 2020.
But asked this morning whether the prime minister had anything to apologise for, Gove said: "No".
#KayBurley - Do you think Boris Johnson has anything to apologise for over the Jimmy Savile smear? \n\nMichael Gove - No... this is a uniquely sensitive issue & it does need to be handled with carepic.twitter.com/prMBzmaphT— Haggis_UK \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa (@Haggis_UK \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa) 1643786799
He added: "I think this is a uniquely sensitive issue and it does need to be handled with care, and I listen with enormous respect to those who act for victims of the actions of a terrible, terrible criminal.
"But – and it's not a subject that I want to dwell on because it is uniquely sensitive – it is the case that the CPS apologised for the handling of this case and what happened in 2009, and I think we should acknowledge that an apology was given at the time and respect that."
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Gove added: "Keir Starmer acknowledged that mistakes had been made by the organisation of which he was head, to his credit. He was very clear about those mistakes."
However Johnson’s claim was branded “a disgrace to parliament and office of prime minister” by Nazir Afzal, a former chief Crown prosecutor for the North West on Monday.
“It’s not true. I was there. Keir Starmer had nothing to do with the decisions taken. On the contrary, He supported me in bringing hundreds of child sex abusers to justice,” Afzal said on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Starmer himself rejected the claims yesterday in an interview with Burley and called the comments "a slur" but Johnson refused to apologise.
Reacting to Gove's comments, people thought he was out of order:
Regarding the unfounded Savile slur, Sally Nugent asks Gove, "Should Johnson apologise?"\nGove: "No."\n\n@BBCBreakfast \n#JohnsonOut9— Tim Burnett \ud83d\udc99\ud83e\udde1 (@Tim Burnett \ud83d\udc99\ud83e\udde1) 1643788077
\u201cShould Boris Johnson apologise for the Starmer Savile slur?\u201d\n\nMichael Gove: \u201cno\u201d\n\nWhat an arrogant bastard he is. \n\n#BBCBreakfast— \u0394\u039d\u03a3 (@\u0394\u039d\u03a3) 1643788086
Just woke to Gove defending the Savile comments..\n#AllToriesAreScumpic.twitter.com/WU42n2InKW— Darren Chesterton \ud83d\udc99 (@Darren Chesterton \ud83d\udc99) 1643786373
Michael Gove agrees with Boris Johnson telling lies about Jimmy Savile \n\nThis is the level of respect the Tories have for people\n\nThey\u2019ve upset the Savile victims , fed the right wing trolls & used abuse as a tool.\n\nZero shame\n\n#ToriesUnfitToGovern #BBCBreakfast #ALiarNotALeaderpic.twitter.com/G0YiDH77dT— kerry \u270a\ud83d\udc99 (@kerry \u270a\ud83d\udc99) 1643787218
Michael Gove:\n\u2022 backs Boris Johnson\u2019s Jimmy Savile slur\n\u2022 supported Murdoch papers over phone-hacking\n\u2022 wants \u201cChristian forgiveness\u201d for Johnson\u2019s illegal lockdown parties.\n\u2022 Must be banished to the Phantom Zone.— Count Binface (@Count Binface) 1643789240
Oh dear.
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