Munira Mirza: Boris Johnson's policy chief quits over PM's use of Jimmy Savile 'slur' against Sir Keir Starmer

Boris Johnson's policy chief has quit over the prime minister's use of a discredited claim that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer personally failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile.

Munira Mirza has resigned from her £145,000-a-year role after Mr Johnson today stepped back from his remarks, but did not offer an apology.

In her resignation letter to the prime minister, as published by The Spectator magazine, Ms Mirza 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."

Chancellor distances himself from PM's Savile comments

Chancellor Rishi Sunak, speaking at a Downing Street news conference on Thursday evening, described Ms Mirza as a "valued colleague" who he "very much enjoyed working with".

"I am sorry to see her leave government, I will miss working with her," he said.

Mr Sunak, frequently touted as a successor to Mr Johnson, also sought to put distance between himself and the prime minister over the row about the Savile comments.

"With regard to the comments, being honest I wouldn't have said it and I am glad the prime minister clarified what he meant," the chancellor added.

Asked if Mr Johnson should apologise for his remarks, Mr Sunak said: "That's for the prime minister to decide."

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PM sees longtime ally depart Number 10

Ms Mirza's departure will come as a fresh blow to Mr Johnson as he seeks to shore up his position in Number 10 amid the partygate scandal.

She has been a longtime ally of the prime minister and previously worked with Mr Johnson when he was London mayor.

Mr Johnson once included Ms Mirza in a list of the five women who had most influenced him.

In her resignation letter, Ms Mirza added: "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."

Dominic Cummings, the prime minister's estranged former chief adviser, praised Ms Mirza's "moral courage".

He added on Twitter: "It's also an unmistakeable signal the bunker is collapsing & *this PM is finished*."

Amid the current pressure on Mr Johnson's position, Mr Cummings urged government ministers to "push what is falling".

Following Ms Mirza's departure, Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby said: "Is this the dam breaking and the momentum is now really moving against Boris Johnson?

"I don't have the answer but this is the question everyone is asking."

She added Mr Sunak had "piled pressure" on Mr Johnson with his own comments about the row.

Downing Street swiftly announced that Ms Mirza had been replaced as the head of the Number 10 policy unit by Arundel and South Downs MP, Andrew Griffith, who is a loyal ally of the prime minister.

A Number 10 spokesperson said: "We are very sorry Munira has left Number 10 and are grateful for her service and contribution to government."

'One of the most level-headed and experienced people left'

Joe Pike

Political correspondent

@joepike

Munira Mirza was among the most influential figures in Boris Johnson’s court, managing a team of 19 policy advisers.

A senior Whitehall figure described her as "one of the most level-headed and experienced people left".

Ms Mirza was a long-term Johnson ally, who had worked alongside him at City Hall. Her husband Dougie Smith is also part of the Number 10 operation. It is unclear whether he will stay in his role.

Ms Mirza's letter to the PM displays the level of her anger and frustration at his failure to apologise for and retract the slur during a TV interview today. It also suggests an argument on this topic has been raging between some at the heart of government for three days.

It is now worth watching to see if Mr Johnson provides a full apology, and if not, whether other special advisers in Downing Street decide to follow her out the door.

What did the PM say about Starmer and Savile?

The row over Mr Johnson's comments about Savile followed his appearance in the House of Commons on Monday, when he faced a grilling by MPs over a Whitehall investigation into alleged lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street.

As he responded to Sir Keir in the Commons, Mr Johnson referred to the Labour leader's former role as director of public prosecutions (DPP).

The prime minister claimed Sir Keir had "spent most of his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile, as far as I can make out".

With Mr Johnson's remarks having caused uproar in Westminster, including among some Conservative MPs, Sir Keir later accused the prime minister of making a "ridiculous slur" and of "parroting the conspiracy theories of violent fascists to try to score cheap political points".

The victims of Savile, a prolific sex offender, also demanded Mr Johnson withdraw his comments.

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PM's attempt to 'clarify' remarks

The prime minister attempted to "clarify" his remarks on Thursday as he made a visit to Blackpool.

"I want to be very clear about this because a lot of people have got very hot under the collar, and I understand why," Mr Johnson said.

"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."

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Did Starmer stop Savile being prosecuted?

In 2020, fact-checking charity Full Fact looked into the claim that Sir Keir had stopped Savile being charged in 2009, when the now Labour leader was head of the Crown Prosecution Service.

The CPS said the decision not to prosecute Savile was made on the grounds of "insufficient evidence".

"A later investigation criticised the actions of both the CPS and the police in their handling of the situation," Full Fact found.

"It did not suggest that Mr Starmer was personally involved in the decisions made."