James O'Brien: Boris Johnson's Savile slur has no place in our democracy

1 February 2022, 10:55 | Updated: 1 February 2022, 11:11

James O'Brien reacts to Boris Johnson's partygate Commons performance

By EJ Ward

This is James O'Brien's withering take on Boris Johnson's contemptible Jimmy Savile slur against Keir Starmer.

"The scenes in the House of Commons yesterday, have no place in a functioning democracy," said James O'Brien as he summed up Boris Johnson's performance when addressing MPs in the wake of the Sue Gray report.

James said the way in which the Prime Minister "infects" everyone and everything he comes into contact with has, in the last few weeks has "extended to the Metropolitan Police service and our sovereign Parliament."

"Some of the comments he made yesterday, in response to the best speech, by some distance, of Keir Starmer's career, are beneath contempt, regardless of your politics."

Yesterday, Boris Johnson attempted to divert attention away from partygate as he addressed MPs by bringing up Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's "failure to prosecute" Jimmy Savile, who died in 2011 before reports of his grotesque abuse came to light, before going into politics.

James said if people "care a jot for this country, not just for its international reputation but for its national integrity, then you should have felt deep, deep disgust for Boris Johnson's performance yesterday."

"This was a performance prompted by the findings of a report he was forced to commission after details of countless parties that had been held in or on the grounds of his office that he frequently and repeatedly denied were found to be true."

Theresa May savages Boris Johnson amid Gray report

On Monday a report by senior civil servant Sue Gray said a "failure of leadership and judgment" led to a number of gatherings in Downing Street during lockdown.

The report found the events represent a "serious failure" to follow standards expected of the British public.

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