Technology minister Chris Philp on his round of moring interviews has said on Sky News that Mr Johnson’s words in Parliament last week “did not prompt the terrible harassment and intimidation” of Sir Keir yesterday, but described the incident as “completely unacceptable”.
Mr Philp also maintained that the PM had “clarified” his remarks in the last few days when asked if the prime minister should issue an apology.
Boris Johnson is facing fresh calls from Tory MPs to say sorry, after protesters were heard shouting about the sex offender, as well as protesting about Covid measures.
Mr Johnson condemned the harassment.
In a tweet, he said the behaviour directed at Sir Keir on Monday afternoon was “absolutely disgraceful” and “completely unacceptable”.
At least six Tory MPs later linked the incident to the PM’s incorrect comment and demanded the prime minister said sorry.
Videos on social media showed Sir Keir being escorted into the police car on Victoria Embankment shortly after 17:00 GMT, close to Portcullis House – an office building used by MPs.
Protesters could be heard repeatedly shouting “traitor” while criticising the Labour leader for supporting Covid vaccinations and not “opposing the government” or protecting the working man.
Some protesters were seen holding signs opposing mandatory vaccinations and restrictions to curb the spread of Covid.
But there were also shouts about attacks on journalists, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, and about protecting paedophiles, naming Savile.
Some MPs have linked these remarks to the false claim that Mr Johnson made in the Commons last week when he said Sir Keir “spent most of his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile”.
Scotland Yard later said a man and a woman were arrested after a traffic cone was thrown at officers.
What did the Prime Minister say?
The prime minister made the remark in Parliament last Monday as he was grilled by MPs over an initial report on Downing Street parties held under Covid restrictions.
Amid calls for his resignation over “partygate” claims, Johnson said that Starmer “used his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile”.
After facing criticism for his comments from lawyers representing Savile’s victims, the Speaker of the House Lindsay Hoyle, and several senior Conservatives he sought to clarify his comments afterwards.
Insisting the Labour leader “had nothing to do personally” with the decision not to prosecute Savile when he was director of public prosecutions however, no correction on the records has been made by the PM.
But in the following days, one of his longest serving aides, Munira Mirza, resigned her Downing Street role over his refusal to apologise.
Sir Keir has previously described the claim as “a ridiculous slur, peddled by right-wing trolls”.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy, who was with Sir Keir at the time of the incident, tweeted: “Intimidation, harassment and lies have no place in our democracy.”
A statement from the Metropolitan Police said: “A man who had been surrounded by a group of protesters… was taken away from the scene by a police car.
“A man and a woman were arrested at the scene for assault of an emergency worker after a traffic cone was thrown at a police officer.”