Lawyer of Jimmy Savile victims attacks PM for 'troubling smear' in Commons
1 February 2022, 18:26 | Updated: 2 February 2022, 16:21
Representative of Savile victims hits out at PM
Victims of Jimmy Savile told this lawyer that Boris Johnson's decision to use their suffering to 'get out of a political hole' was 'grubby and reprehensible'.
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The Prime Minister has come under fire for attacking Sir Keir Starmer's "failure to prosecute" Jimmy Savile during his time as Director for Public Prosecutions.
Head of the Abuse team at Slater & Gordon Richard Scorer joined Eddie Mair to share how the untrue comments have affected victims of Savile, whom he has represented.
Read more: 'How dare he?': Jimmy Savile victim tells LBC she was furious over Boris remarks
"They thought it was grubby and reprehensible that the Prime Minister has used their suffering to get out of a political hole", he told LBC, adding that victims he has spoken to have been "appalled by the weaponisation of their case."
Mr Scorer went on to note that "this allegation is simply not true" as Sir Keir "was not the decision-maker" in the investigation into Jimmy Savile.
Read more: James O'Brien: Boris Johnson's Savile slur has no place in our democracy
House Speaker rebukes PM after Savile jibe at Starmer
'It's a smear I think that originated in some obscure corner of the internet that then circulated and he's then tried use it for his own political purposes."
Eddie noted that the obscure corners of the internet are one thing, but "the dispatch box at the House of Commons ought to be another."
"It feels very troubling that a Prime Minister would be doing this sort of Trumpian tactic" the lawyer went on, admitting he is "very concerned" about the PM's move.
"Prime Ministers do have a duty to tell the truth", he concluded.
