A Conservative MP spoke to Boris Johnson on the phone – but was so drunk he cannot remember what they spoke about.
The prime minister rang Johnny Mercer on Saturday as part of his efforts to rally support among his disgruntled backbenchers amid growing calls for him to resign.
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The Plymouth Moor View MP was sacked as veterans minister last year after clashing with the PM over the treatment of former armed forces personnel.
He later said that the the Johnson administration was “the most distrustful, awful environment I’ve ever worked in”.
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On Saturday night, Mercer’s wife Felicity posted a picture of him sleeping at their home.
It said: “So..funny story…the Prime Minister rang tonight directly after an afternoon of FA Cup football and England rugby..and Johnny Mercer was so pissed he can’t remember what was said. Thinking of winding him up tomorrow…I heard Johnny/Boris say………suggestions please.”
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So..funny story…the Prime Minister rang tonight directly after an afternoon of FA Cup football and England rugby..and @JohnnyMercerUK was so pissed he can’t remember what was said. Thinking of winding him up tomorrow…I heard Johnny/Boris say………suggestions please 🤫😂 pic.twitter.com/ypy3Y76r8F
Mercer’s local team, Plymouth Argyle, had earlier lost 2-1 to Chelsea in the FA Cup, with England later losing to Scotland in the Six Nations rugby.
Responding to his wife’s tweet, Mercer said: “In other breaking news, wives have a mind and a life of their own.. She’s on this nuts journey with me – the highs and many lows. She is more than entitled to take the p**s out of me/the PM/whoever she likes.”
In other breaking news, wives have a mind and a life of their own..
She’s on this nuts journey with me – the highs and many lows. She is more than entitled to take the p**s out of me/the PM/whoever she likes.
Kwasi Kwarteng has been mocked after he claimed Boris Johnson was right to tell MPs that crime is falling even though it is actually going up.
The Business Secretary defended the prime minister for ignoring the rise in fraud cases when he made the inaccurate claim in the Commons.
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Johnson said crime had fallen by 14 per cent under his government.
But according to the UK Statistics Authority, once fraud and computer misuse are included, the crime rate has actually gone up by 14 per cent.
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Challenged on the PM’s untrue claims on the BBC’s Sunday Morning show, Kwarteng said: “I don’t know why you say it isn’t true. I don’t know what the evidence is for it not being true.
“All I know is that certainly on the doorstep people are saying that there is progress being made.”
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Presented with figures showing fraud is on the rise, the minister said: “When people talk about crime – I think fraud is really important – but people are talking particularly about burglaries, about personal injury, about physical crimes, and I think in that context we’re seeing lower crimes. I think the prime minister was right.
“He was talking about personal injury and crime in relation to individuals.
“The point the prime minister was making in terms of the crime people experience in their day-to-day lives, in terms of burglary – not fraud – but in terms of physical injury, has gone down, that’s absolutely right.”
The minister was roundly mocked on Twitter for his bizarre defence of the PM.
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Kwasi Kwarteng’s defence on #SundayMorning of the PM claiming crime is going down which it’s actually going up – was genuinely LOL
Firstly he claimed PM was right to make assertion in Commons
Kwasi Kwarteng denies that Boris Johnson misled the House of Commons when he said crime had fallen by 14%. Here’s what the Office for National Statistics say. pic.twitter.com/tgAvyWQjjn
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson, Alistair Carmichael, said: “The failure of Conservative ministers to stand up to Boris Johnson’s dishonesty and lack of decency is doing huge damage to public trust. Instead of apologising for misleading the public over rising crime, Kwasi Kwarteng doubled down on this blatant lie.
“This is an insult to every victim of fraud crime. Instead of fighting their corner, this government is ignoring the plight of all those who have been cruelly robbed in their own homes and on their own devices.
“Given the prime minister is being investigated by the police about alleged crimes committed in Downing Street, it’s perhaps not surprising he and his ministers are lying about crime falling across the country.”
Earlier on Sky News, Kwarteng had reignited the Cabinet split over the Jimmy Savile row by insisting it had been “entirely legitimate” for the prime minister to wrongly accuse Keir Starmer of letting Jimmy Savile escape justice when he was Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Business Secretary’s support for the PM over the row puts him at odds with Cabinet colleagues Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, both of whom have distanced themselves from the remarks.
Kwarteng said: “It was perfectly reasonable to mention the fact Sir Keir apologised on behalf of the organisation he led about the fact they failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile. So the fact he apologised suggests he does at some level bear some responsibility.”
Boris Johnson’s attempt to smear Keir Starmer over the failure to prosecute Jimmy Savile was “entirely legitimate”, according to Kwasi Kwarteng.
The Business Secretary’s support for the prime minister over the row puts him at odds with Cabinet colleagues Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, both of whom have distanced themselves from the PM.
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Johnson sparked fury last Monday, during a debate on Sue Gray’s report into partygate, when he made the untrue claim about Starmer’s involvement in Savile escaping justice.
Referring to the Labour leader’s past role as Director of Public Prosecutions, the PM claimed he had “spent most of his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile”.
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Johnson eventually “clarified” his remarks by insisting he did not believe Starmer was personally responsible for the decision not to prosecute the notorious sex offender.
But that was too late to prevent the resignation of No. 10 policy chief Munira Mirza. In a devastating resignation letter, she said: “I believe it was wrong for you to imply this week that Keir Starmer was personally responsible for allowing Jimmy Savile to escape justice.
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Several Conservative MPs have also identified the smear as one of the reasons why they have submitted letters of no confidence in the PM.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak openly criticised Johnson by saying he “wouldn’t have said” what he did, while Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Starmer deserved “respect” for the job he did as DPP.
But appearing on Trevor Phillips on Sunday on Sky News, Kwasi Kwarteng said it had been “entirely legitimate” for the prime minister to attack Starmer in the way he did.
He added: “It was perfectly reasonable to mention the fact Sir Keir apologised on behalf of the organisation he led about the fact they failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile. So the fact he apologised suggests he does at some level bear some responsibility.”
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Kwarteng added: “I’m not saying he had personal blame, he didn’t, and we’ve been very clear about that, the PM clarified that position as well. But I think in the cut and thrust of debate… bringing up something Sir Keir himself apologised for seems reasonable.”
His comments came as Johnson tried to regain the political initiative by announcing a shake-up of his Downing Street operation.
Former BBC journalist Guto Harri – who worked for the PM when he was London mayor – has been appointed the new No. 10 director of communications, while Tory MP Steve Barclay is the new Downing Street chief of staff.
The moves follow the resignation of Munira Mirza and four other No. 10 advisers in the space of 24 hours at the end of last week.
No one could ever dispute Meryl Streep’s acting chops, but who knew she was also the queen of improv?
Don’t Look Up director Adam McKay has shared a compilation of clips of the multiple Oscar-winning star on the set of the Netflix hit showing off her “breathtaking” improvisation skills.
Meryl, who plays a Trump-esque US president in the climate crisis metaphor movie, ditched the script for one particular scene where she is seen on the phone in the Oval Office.
Adam reveals he filmed “20 to 25 completely different absurd phone calls” of the actor, which he described as “tour de force of improv”, and after seeing the clip, we’ve got to agree.
In a widely-shared clip from the hour-long show, Carr joked about the horror of the Holocaust and “six million Jewish lives being lost” before making a disparaging remark about the deaths of thousands of Travellers at the hands of the Nazis as a punchline.
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Carr has received widespread criticism over the remarks, with calls for Netflix to remove the joke and sparking petitions calling on him to apologise.
On Saturday evening, Only Connect host Victoria took to Twitter to defend her “close friend”, saying Carr was “a properly decent person”.
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“While I’m here, might take a moment to mention I also love @JimmyCarr, a close friend who’s made about a thousand jokes I wouldn’t make myself, as a stage performer, but as a man is full of goodness and kindness,” she said.
While I’m here, might take a moment to mention I also love @JimmyCarr, a close friend who’s made about a thousand jokes I wouldn’t make myself, as a stage performer, but as a man is full of goodness and kindness. He’s a properly decent person.
When one unimpressed follower asked: “Do you think you would be similarly quick to defend him if he’d made a joke defending the murder of Jews in the Holocaust?”, Victoria responded: “Yes. It’s not about the joke.”
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Others pointed the presenter towards comedian David Baddiel’s response to Carr’s comments.
The comedian had pointed out the difference between cruel jokes about the Holocaust and ones that target the oppressors.
“I said this every night during my Trolls: Not The Dolls tour as part of a bit arguing that it’s not the subject matter of a joke that counts, it’s the specifics of the individual joke. Clearly, Jimmy Carr’s was the former,” he said.
I said this every night during my Trolls: Not The Dolls tour as part of a bit arguing that it’s not the subject matter of a joke that counts, it’s the specifics of the individual joke. Clearly, Jimmy Carr’s was the former. pic.twitter.com/xI4yWt9U0T
This is the joke I was leading to, which is, unlike Jimmy’s, I think defensible. Meanwhile, away from stupid discussions about the limits of comedy, my sympathies are with the Roma and Sinti community who suffered so much during the Holocaust. pic.twitter.com/GEC5u1HgYI
As a footnote, I’d add that Jimmy is a close friend of mine and a brilliant stand-up in general. Makes no difference to how I feel or think about this specific joke.
David added: “As a footnote, I’d add that Jimmy is a close friend of mine and a brilliant stand-up in general. Makes no difference to how I feel or think about this specific joke.”
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Meanwhile, Judge Rinder star Robert Rinder labelled Carr and the audience at his Netflix special who “clapped, whooped and cheered” over the joke, “complete incorrigible turds”.
Robert, who is the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, made his feelings clear during a panel discussion about the hour-long special on Talk Radio
Jimmy Carr’s ‘joke’ suggesting the systematic genocide of gypsies during the Holocaust was a ‘good thing’ is breathtakingly racist. The truly disturbing thing isn’t just the gag, it’s that on hearing it, instead of leaving, the audience clapped, whooped and cheered in approval👇🏻 https://t.co/tlsbVYIpa9
In a follow-up tweet posted on Saturday, Robert said the comedian’s comment was “breathtakingly racist” and reiterated his dismay at the audience’s reaction.
“Jimmy Carr’s comments, no one can call that, you know, snowflake or wokeishness, that’s just… it was just appalling,” Dorries said during an interview on BBC Breakfast.
Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, has also urged Netflix to remove Carr’s “vile anti-GRT and antisemitic material”.
HuffPost UK has contacted Carr’s reps for comment.
Robert Rinder has labelled Jimmy Carr and the audience at his Netflix special who “clapped, whooped and cheered” over a joke he made about the Traveller community and the Holocaust, as “complete incorrigible turds”.
In a widely-shared clip from the His Dark Material show, Carr joked about the horror of the Holocaust and “six million Jewish lives being lost” before making a disparaging remark about the deaths of thousands of Travellers at the hands of the Nazis as a punchline.
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Robert, who is best known as TV’s Judge Rinder and is the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, made his feelings clear during a panel discussion about the hour-long special on Talk Radio on Friday.
“I’ve got to say Jimmy Carr, I’m not going to repeat the joke, or anybody in the audience who whooped and clapped at a joke about the genocide of Travellers and gypsies, you are all, complete incorrigible turds,” he said.
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Middle class comedians can do irony and clever boundary pushing so it’s ‘ok.’ Let’s imagine the reaction to this joke had it been filmed at a working men’s club to a cheering whooping audience. https://t.co/tlsbVYIpa9
In a tweet posted on Saturday, Robert said the comedian’s comment was “breathtakingly racist” and reiterated his dismay at the audience’s reaction.
“Jimmy Carr’s “joke” suggesting the systematic genocide of gypsies during the Holocaust was a “good thing” is breathtakingly racist,” he tweeted.
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“The truly disturbing thing isn’t just the gag, it’s that on hearing it, instead of leaving, the audience clapped, whooped and cheered in approval.”
Jimmy Carr’s ‘joke’ suggesting the systematic genocide of gypsies during the Holocaust was a ‘good thing’ is breathtakingly racist. The truly disturbing thing isn’t just the gag, it’s that on hearing it, instead of leaving, the audience clapped, whooped and cheered in approval👇🏻 https://t.co/tlsbVYIpa9
In a second tweet, the former Strictly star said that “middle class comedians can do irony and clever boundary pushing so it’s ‘ok’”.
“Let’s imagine the reaction to this joke had it been filmed at a working men’s club to a cheering whooping audience,” he added.
Carr has received widespread criticism over the remarks, with calls for Netflix to remove the joke and sparking petitions calling on him to apologise.
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Roberts tweet came after Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries condemned the remarks during an interview on Saturday’s BBC Breakfast, suggesting that new laws would hold to account streaming sites from airing jokes.
Dorries suggested that in the future, new laws would “hold Netflix to account” for such content.
Nadine Dorries
Future Publishing via Getty Images
“We are looking at legislation via the Media Bill which would bring into scope those comments from other video on-demand streaming outlets like Netflix,” she said.
“So it’s interesting that we’re already looking at future legislation to bring into scope those sort of comments.”
The MP said Carr’s comments were “abhorrent and they just shouldn’t be on television”, but it was then put to her that in a tweet in 2017 she had claimed that “left-wing snowflakes are killing comedy”.
She said: “Well, that’s not comedy.
“What Jimmy Carr did last night is not comedy. And you know, I’m no angel on Twitter, nobody is, but I just would like to say that nothing I’ve ever put on Twitter has been harmful or abusive.
“But that last night… Jimmy Carr’s comments, no one can call that, you know, snowflake or wokeishness, that’s just… it was just appalling.”
Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, has also urged Netflix to remove Carr’s “vile anti-GRT and antisemitic material”.
I have written urging Netflix to remove Jimmy Carr’s vile anti-GRT and antisemitic material.
I have also requested an update from @DCMS on progress to bring streaming platforms under Ofcom regulation.
Nadine Dorries has suggested new laws would hold to account streaming sites from airing jokes such as those made by Jimmy Carr about the Traveller community and the Holocaust.
During an interview on Saturday’s BBC Breakfast, the Culture Secretary condemned the comic’s joke made during his one-hour Netflix special, His Dark Material, as “shocking, abhorrent and unacceptable.”
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Carr issued a “trigger warning” to the audience at the beginning of the Netflix show, admitting his performance contained “terrible things”.
In a widely-shared clip from the show, the comedian joked about the horror of the Holocaust and “six million Jewish lives being lost” before making a disparaging remark about the deaths of thousands of Travellers at the hands of the Nazis as a punchline.
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Nadine Dorries and Jimmy Carr
Dorries suggested that in the future, new laws would “hold Netflix to account” for such content.
“We are looking at legislation via the Media Bill which would bring into scope those comments from other video on-demand streaming outlets like Netflix,” she said.
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“So it’s interesting that we’re already looking at future legislation to bring into scope those sort of comments.”
The MP said Carr’s comments were “abhorrent and they just shouldn’t be on television”, but it was then put to her that in a tweet in 2017 she had claimed that “left-wing snowflakes are killing comedy”.
She said: “Well, that’s not comedy.
“What Jimmy Carr did last night is not comedy. And you know, I’m no angel on Twitter, nobody is, but I just would like to say that nothing I’ve ever put on Twitter has been harmful or abusive.
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“But that last night… Jimmy Carr’s comments, no one can call that, you know, snowflake or wokeishness, that’s just… it was just appalling.”
She said the comments were “shocking and abhorrent and unacceptable, not just because he was making fun on the basis of people who died in the most appalling circumstances, but on the pain and suffering of many thousands of families”.
In a separate interview with Times Radio, she said: “We don’t have the ability now, legally, to hold Netflix to account for streaming that but very shortly we will.”
Asked on Sky News if there was any way this new law would put restrictions on free speech, she said: “No, absolutely not. We’ve been very, very… well because I’m a Conservative, I’ve been very, very careful about that.”
In a tweet, Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, has also urged Netflix to remove Carr’s “vile anti-GRT and antisemitic material”.
I have written urging Netflix to remove Jimmy Carr’s vile anti-GRT and antisemitic material.
I have also requested an update from @DCMS on progress to bring streaming platforms under Ofcom regulation.
The Traveller Movement, a charity supporting the traveller community in the UK, said: “This is truly disturbing and goes way beyond humour.”
In a tweet, the charity said: “We need all your support in calling this out #StopTravellerHate @StopFundingHate.”
The charity has launched a petition to Netflix calling for the “removal of the segments of His Dark Material which celebrates the Romani genocide”.
The not-for-profit organisation the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust shared a statement on Twitter from their CEO Olivia Marks-Woldman who was “horrified” to hear “gales of laughter” following Carr’s remarks.
Hope Not Hate, the anti-fascism and anti-racism campaigning group, also condemned the comedian’s joke on Friday.
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In a tweet, they said: “Comedy is an amazing tool for progressive change and it’s such a shame that @jimmycarr decided to use his platform to celebrate the murder of one of the most marginalised groups in society.”
The Auschwitz Memorial called for Carr to “learn about the fate of some 23 thousand Roma & Sinti deported to Auschwitz” in a tweet to their 1.2 million followers.
They added: “It’s sad to hear words that can fuel prejudice, hurt people & defile memory of their tragedy.”
HuffPost UK has contacted Carr’s reps for comment.
Jimmy Carr has been denounced for a “truly disturbing” joke made about the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community and the Holocaust in his latest Netflix special.
The comedian, known for his stand-up and roles on shows including 8 Out Of 10 Cats, issued a “trigger warning” to the audience at the beginning of his one-hour show, His Dark Material, admitting his performance contained “terrible things”.
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In a widely-shared clip from the show, Carr, 49, said: “When people talk about the Holocaust, they talk about the tragedy and horror of six million Jewish lives being lost to the Nazi war machine. But they never mention the thousands of Gypsies that were killed by the Nazis.
“No one ever wants to talk about that, because no one ever wants to talk about the positives.”
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Mikey Walsh, author of the best-selling memoir Gypsy Boy, tweeted that he didn’t know what he should be more “disgusted” by, “the kind of Racism that us GRT people are forced to live with every day … that it’s still absolutely ok to demonise us & our demise as a joke … or the reactions of whooping and cheering from the audience.”
I don’t know what I should be more gutted or disgusted by here.. the kind of Racism that us GRT people are forced to live with every day.. that’s it’s still absolutely ok to demonise us & our demise as a joke…or the reactions of whooping & cheering from the audience.. pic.twitter.com/nZnJslasX2
Comedy is an amazing tool for progressive change and it’s such a shame that @jimmycarr decided to use his platform to celebrate the murder of one of the most marginalised groups in societyhttps://t.co/cHfhsj5YQt
In a tweet referencing the joke, The Traveller Movement, a charity supporting the traveller community in the UK, said: “This is truly disturbing and goes way beyond humour.
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“We need all your support in calling this out #StopTravellerHate @StopFundingHate.”
The charity have now launched a petition to Netflix calling for the “removal of the segments of His Dark Material which celebrates the Romani genocide”.
In a tweet, Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, has also urged Netflix to remove Carr’s “vile anti-GRT and antisemitic material”.
I have written urging Netflix to remove Jimmy Carr’s vile anti-GRT and antisemitic material.
I have also requested an update from @DCMS on progress to bring streaming platforms under Ofcom regulation.
“In funding, streaming and profiting from this material, Netflix is legitimising and perpetuating racism,” Whittome wrote in her letter.
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“Material of the kind on your platform does not exist in isolation and it has real-life consequences.”
In a synopsis of the programme, which aired on Christmas Day, it says the special features jokes which are “career enders”.
Similarly, not-for-profit organisation the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust shared a statement on Twitter from their CEO Olivia Marks-Woldman who was “horrified” to hear “gales of laughter” following Carr’s remarks.
Hope Not Hate, the anti-fascism and anti-racism campaigning group, also condemned the comedian’s joke on Friday.
In a tweet, they said: “Comedy is an amazing tool for progressive change and it’s such a shame that @jimmycarr decided to use his platform to celebrate the murder of one of the most marginalised groups in society.”
The Auschwitz Memorial called for Carr to “learn about the fate of some 23 thousand Roma & Sinti deported to Auschwitz” in a tweet to their 1.2 million followers.
They added: “It’s sad to hear words that can fuel prejudice, hurt people & defile memory of their tragedy.”
A representative for Carr has been contacted for comment.
Last November I visited the county of Kajiado in Kenya, a short drive from Nairobi – the first county in Kenya to launch a robust policy designed to end female genital mutilation.
FGM is one of the most extreme examples of gender-based violence around the world. The physical, psychological and emotional impacts of being subjected to FGM last a lifetime.
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At least 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM, and more than 45 million more girls are at risk during this decade. Devastatingly, the pandemic has heightened the risk.
I arrived in a village in Kajiado to a warm Maasai welcome of traditional singing and dancing – a community proud to share their story.
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I joined a group of older Maasai women who had been the ‘cutters’ performing FGM on women and girls. This was a tradition practised for generations and a source of livelihood for many. They explained to me that they had now downed their tools and committed to joining efforts to end FGM.
So how did this happen? A local programme, funded through the UN, had been established to engage and educate the community about FGM. Importantly, the programme also addressed the need for these women to have alternative sources of income. Today, they make jewellery that I am proudly wearing.
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Rita French with Aggie Leina, Director of Kenya’s Anti-FGM Board.
I had the pleasure of meeting Aggie, who is leading conversations with men and women – young and old alike – and changing attitudes towards FGM. Aggie also runs a shelter providing housing and security for 150 girls that have survived FGM. Aggie told me her purpose in life is to end FGM. We owe so much to the brave and inspiring work of community champions like her.
The young women I met in the village appeared more hesitant to express their views. Efforts must continue to empower them to speak up for their rights.
The men, on the other hand, were vocal about their commitment to ending FGM. The older men told me that, whilst they are proud of their culture, they did not want pain and suffering inflicted on their daughters. And I spoke to young men who didn’t want this fate for their future wives: a young generation committed to driving change.
Kajiado County is clearly on the right track to ending FGM. I left the village truly invigorated and hopeful that young girls there will have a very different future.
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Rita French and UNFPA Executive Director Monica Ferro in a discussion with Maasai women
UNFPA Mukiza Mwenzi
Changing the law can help to create the right legal environment to end FGM. Political leadership at the highest level is also key. In Kenya’s case, both exist: the President has made a powerful commitment to end the practice by the end of this year, which is accelerating progress.
But this isn’t enough. Real change will only be achieved when communities are fully engaged and involved. It means listening to everyone and being cognisant of local values. It means taking a holistic approach and offering alternative sources of income where necessary. Ending FGM will require changing hearts and minds. And that’s where community leaders like Aggie come in.
Sunday marks International Day for Zero Tolerance Against Female Genital Mutilation. It fills me with hope that the work being done in Kajiado County represents a powerful model that can be replicated in other parts of Kenya and beyond.
The UK is committed to supporting the UN and the Africa-Led Movement to give women and girls the freedoms they need to succeed.
Rita French is Britain’s Global Ambassador for Human Rights and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.
Boris Johnson emailed Conservative MPs this afternoon vowing to give them a “direct line” into 10 Downing Street, HuffPost UK can reveal.
Johnson wrote: “I understand the deep importance of engaging with colleagues in Parliament and listening to your views and that is why I want colleagues to have a direct line into 10 Downing Street.
“With the appointment of Andrew Griffith MP as director of policy we will provide whatever engagement and support is necessary to make this a success. I promise change and that is what we will deliver.”
Johnson told them he was “committed” to improving the way that 10 Downing Street and the government works. The PM said he would provide them with further updates in the coming days.
As fury bubbles within the party, the PM added: “It is vital that we harness all the energy experience and insight from our members of parliament.”
Johnson also confirmed he would work withSir Graham Brady, chairman of the powerful 1922 committee, to re-establish backbench policy committees.
He said he wants the committees to play an important role in “generating ideas and discussion”.
Johnson stressed it was “vital” that government departments and ministers engage with them properly and said he would ensure the cabinet take them seriously.
Little more than 40 minutes after the email landed in MPs’ inboxes, a “Red Wall” MP elected in 2019 confirmed he had submitted a letter of no confidence in Johnson.
Newcastle-under-Lyme MP Aaron Bell blamed the partygate scandal, saying it had left him with no choice.
Earlier today Downing Street was forced to deny Boris Johnson had “lost control” after five senior aides quit in 24 hours.
The drama kicked off yesterday afternoon with the shock resignation of one of Johnson’s closest allies – policy chief Munira Mirza.
No10 went into meltdown as the PM ordered a clear-out in a bid to shore up his troubled premiership.
Not only is Johnson under fire over the partygate scandal, he has faced fierce criticism over comments he made about Labour leader Keir Starmer.
Earlier this week, the PM attacked Starmer during a debate on the partygate scandal, accusing him of “failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile” while he was director of public prosecutions.
Despite a backlash, the PM has refused to apologise for the comment – something Mirza directly linked to her departure.
Johnson was yesterday publicly rebuked by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who told a press conference: “Being honest, I wouldn’t have said it.”
Health Secretary Sajid Javid also distanced himself from the PM’s criticism of Starmer, saying the Labour leader deserved “absolute respect” for the job he did as director of public prosecutions.
HuffPost UK contacted the Conservative Party for comment.
