War of words: Johnson refuses to apologise to Starmer over IRA ‘smear’
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has been urged to withdraw a “smear” against Sir Keir Starmer after accusing the Labour leader of supporting Jeremy Corbyn despite his “IRA condoning”.
The leaders clashed during fiery exchanges in the House of Commons yesterday.
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle implored Mr Johnson to withdraw his remarks after the pair rowed over the exam results fiasco, which left thousands of pupils unhappy with their grades before a Government U-turn.
Sir Keir accused the Prime Minister of being “tin-eared and making it up as he goes along” over the issue.
In response, Mr Johnson said Sir Keir supported Mr Corbyn as Labour leader and supported staying in the EU.
“This is a leader of the opposition who supported an Ira-condoning politician who wanted to get out of Nato and now says absolutely nothing,” Mr Johnson added.
Mr Corbyn, who in the past supported political republicanism, said in a 2017 interview: “I condemn all the bombing by both the loyalists and the IRA.”
Mr Johnson’s comments were cut off by the Speaker, who called for order.
Sir Keir demanded Mr Johnson withdraw his comments relating to the IRA.
“Before I go on, the Prime Minister said something about the IRA and I want him to take it back,” he said.
“I worked in Northern Ireland for five years with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, bringing peace.
“I prosecuted, as director of public prosecutions, serious terrorists for five years, working with the intelligence and security forces and with the police in Northern Ireland.
“I ask the Prime Minister to have the decency to withdraw that comment.”
The Speaker asked if the Prime Minister wished to withdraw the allegation he made about Sir Keir.
Mr Johnson replied: “I listened to the protestations of the right honourable gentleman and think they have would have been more in order throughout the long years in which he supported a leader of the Labour Party (Mr Corbyn).”
Sir Lindsay then signalled for Mr Johnson to sit down.
In response, Sir Keir said: “When the Prime Minister has worked with the intelligence and security forces prosecuting criminals and terrorists, he can lecture me. I asked him to do the decent thing, but doing the decent thing and this Prime Minister don’t go together.”
In response, Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken said Mr Johnson’s “smear” was “unacceptable” and urged him to apologise and withdraw the remarks.
Earlier, during Northern Ireland questions, shadow Northern Ireland secretary Louise Haigh raised concerns around the appointment of Claire Fox as a non-affiliated life peer.
Ms Fox was most recently a
Brexit Party representative in Brussels but was formerly a senior activist in the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP).
An RCP newsletter at the time of the Warrington bomb stated that the party defended “the right of the Irish people to take whatever measures necessary in their struggle for freedom”.
Though Ms Fox has said she does not condone violence, she has not apologised for her position at the time.
Ms Haigh said: “The father of Tim Parry, Colin, has also said on the anniversary of his son’s (death) that the appointment of Claire Fox to the House of Lords offends him deeply.
“Given her continued refusal to apologise for defending the Warrington bombing, can I ask was (Mr Lewis) consulted on her peerage and has he raised any concerns with his colleagues in Number 10?”
Secretary of State Brandon Lewis responded: “As I think has been outlined before, I think (Ms Fox) will be sitting as a crossbench peer. She has already outlined her own answer to that and I think I’ll let her words deal with it themselves.”