Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been bundled into the back of a police car after being confronted by protesters shouting “traitor” and “Jimmy Savile” at him.
The incident brought fresh condemnation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who last week made a discredited claim that Sir Keir personally failed to prosecute Savile, a prolific sex offender.
In video footage posted on social media, the Labour leader was seen walking near to Parliament surrounded by police officers while being mobbed by a group, some of whom were protesting against COVID measures.
At one point in the footage, a member of the group surrounding Sir Keir, was overheard making a baseless claim, by shouting: “Why did you let Jimmy Savile off?”
While one of the group, supporters of what they called a “freedom convoy” and “freedom movement”, was heard accusing the Labour leader of “protecting paedophiles”.
Moments after the incident, Sir Keir was led to a nearby police car before being driven away at speed with the vehicle’s lights flashing
Conservative MP Julian Smith, who served as a cabinet minister under Mr Johnson, posted on Twitter: “What happened to Keir Starmer tonight outside parliament is appalling.
