Top Boris Johnson aide quits over Jimmy Savile smear

One of the most senior figures in Downing Street, Munira Mirza, has sensationally resigned after Boris Johnson did not apologise for falsely claiming Keir Starmer failed to prosecute sex offender Jimmy Savile.

Mirza, the Downing Street director of policy who co-wrote the election-winning 2019 Conservative party manifesto explicitly cited Johnson’s attack on the Labour leader as the reason for her resignation. She has previously been considered to be a staunch Johnson ally. 

In a letter to Johnson published today by The Spectator, she wrote: "I believe it was wrong for you to imply this week that Keir Starmer was personally responsible for allowing Jimmy Savile to escape justice.

"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."

A Downing Street spokesperson said: "We are very sorry Munira has left No 10 and are grateful for her service and contribution to government."

In today's resignation letter, she described Johnson as "a better man than many of your detractors will ever understand" and said she was "desperately sad that you let yourself down by making a scurrilous accusation against the Leader of the Opposition".

Johnson said in the Commons that Starmer had spent more "time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile” which has been roundly criticised as untrue.

Earlier today the Prime Minister issued a clarification on his remarks after days of pressure from his own backbenchers, as well as criticism from Speaker Lindsay Hoyle.

While Starmer was director of public prosecutions and head of the Crown Prosecution Service when accounts of Savile's abuse first emerged, he was not in charge of the investigation and was not involved in the decision not to charge Savile. He did however order an inquiry into police mishandling of evidence and apologised for the fact that no charges were brought.

"I'm talking not about the leader of the opposition's [Starmer's] personal record when he was when he was DPP and I totally understand that he had nothing to do personally with those decisions," Johnson told reporters today in Blackpool.

Johnson has previously sought to defend the comments, including in an interview with The Sun this week in which he said “as far I’m aware, it’s fairly accurate”.

The Prime Minister's decision to link Starmer directly to Savile not being prosecuted in his lifetime was heavily criticised by the Labour leader who said Johnson was pedalling a right-wing conspiracy theory. 

Senior government figures Dominic Raab and Michael Gove defended his comment and said he did not need to apologise.

However, a string of senior Tory MPs said Johnson should withdraw the remarks, including former chief whip Julian Smith and chair of the Justice Select Committee Bob Neill. 

Smith wrote on Twitter: "The smear made against Keir Starmer relating to Jimmy Saville ... is wrong and 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."

Chair of the Northern Ireland Select Committee, Simon Hoare said it was a false allegation should be withdrawn. Starmer said it was a "violent fascist conspiracy theory".

The victims of Jimmy Savile accused Johnson of trying to weaponise their suffering this week to sure up his own popularity and deflect from the findings of the Sue Gray update. 

On Wednesday Conservative MP Anthony Mangnall submitted a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister criticising "mistruths" from Johnson. 

Praise for Mirza's work flooded in from former colleagues this afternoon on social media. 

Oliver Lewis, a former senior Downing Street official, Tweeted: "Munira is one of the smartest, toughest and kindest people I have worked with - both during the referendum and when I was in Government. A woman of total integrity and extreme ability. What a loss to the state."

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