As the row over Boris’s Savile attack spills into another day, James Cleverly gave Nick Robinson as good as he got on the Today Programme this morning. With Robinson repeatedly provoking Cleverly to admit the attack was “a smear” and he “knows it”, Cleverly pushed back and pointed out Starmer’s hypocrisy over his own leadership:

“Keir Starmer has said that leaders should carry the can – his words. He has apologised for the CPS’s failure to prosecute whilst he was director of public prosecutions… if the criticism that Keir Starmer is laying at the Prime Minister is about taking responsibility for the actions of organisations he leads… I think highlighting the fact that Keir Starmer, in a position of leadership, also apologised on behalf of his organisation…”

Cleverly’s right: Starmer did apologise on behalf of the CPS, and he did say leaders should carry the can. The culture is set at the top of an institution…