Rishi Sunak slams Boris Johnson for Jimmy Savile slur

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has told a press conference at Downing Street that he would not have made the comments Boris Johnson made accusing Sir Keir Starmer of failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile.

Mr Sunak said “With regard to the comments, being honest I wouldn’t have said it and I am glad the Prime Minister clarified what he meant.”

Mr Johnson had earlier backtracked on the widely criticised and debunked claim that the Labour leader failed to prosecute Savile while director of public prosecutions (DPP).

This comes as the cost of living crisis was laid bare on Thursday as the Chancellor was forced to step in to offset a nearly £700 spike in energy bills, while the Bank of England warned inflation would hit its highest point in more than three decades.

Energy bills are set to soar by 54% for 22 million households from the beginning of April, adding £693 to the annual bills of a typical household.

Meanwhile, inflation is set to hit an eye-watering 7.25% in April, according to new Bank of England forecasts released on Thursday.

The prediction would mean that disposable incomes fall by around 2%, according to Bank estimates, the worst impact since records began in 1990.

Increased energy bills, even with the new support from the Government, will push four million households into fuel poverty – double the current amount, according to the Resolution Foundation think-tank.