Chancellor Rishi Sunak has slapped down Boris Johnson's Savile slur during a national press conference, claiming "I wouldn't have said it".
Mr Sunak is the first cabinet minister to publicly distance himself from Mr Johnson's false accusation. But he stopped short of calling the PM to apologise for the remarks.
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg have all defended the PM after he accused Keir Starmer of failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile.
This afternoon, Mr Johnson did not apologise for making the false claim. Instead he tried to clarify them only because "a lot of people have got very hot under the collar".
The PM's lack of remorse prompted Munira Mirza, one of the Prime Minister's most loyal allies to quit her senior Downing Street position.
She has worked for the PM for 14 years, starting with him in City Hall.
Speaking during a press conference on rising energy bills, Mr Sunak said: “With regard to the news about Munira, she was a valued colleague.
"I very much enjoyed working with her, and I’m sorry to see her leave government. I’ll miss working with her.
"And with regard to the comments, being honest, I wouldn’t have said it, and I’m glad the Prime Minister clarified what he meant.”
Number 10 Director of Communications Jack Doyle has also quit in what has now become quite a day for the PM.
Mr Doyle is said to have told friends "he always planned to leave after two years and his departure is not linked to that of Munira Mirza", the Mail reports.
Ms Mirza said she urged the PM to apologise but he stopped short of doing so, the Spectator Magazine first reported.
"You are a better man than many of your detractors will ever understand which is why it is so desperately sad that you let yourself down by making a scurrilous accusation against the Leader of the Opposition," she said in her letter of resignation to the PM.
The Prime Minister lashed out at Mr Starmer on Monday during a Commons debate on lockdown breaking parties in Downing Street, after Sue Gray published her redacted "update" report.
The PM was “strongly advised” not to make the Savile reference, according to the Financial Times - which quoted one Tory MP branding it “totally outrageous”.
Mr Starmer led the Crown Prosecution Service when it decided not to prosecute Savile in 2009 due to insufficient evidence, a decision it later apologised for.
But the Full Fact website investigated in 2020 and found it had never actually been suggested that Sir Keir was personally involved in the decision.
Victims of Savile have expressed their "disgust" and urged the PM to apologise.
During a tense PMQs session, Mr Starmer claimed he "can take" the false accusations of him failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile - which Mr Johnson said at the despatch box earlier this week.
But Mr Starmer insisted he will not accept it when the PM is making a mockery of the British public.
Earlier the Labour leader described Mr Johnson's remarks as a "ridiculous slur peddled by right-wing trolls".
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab admitted “I can’t substantiate that" - despite trying to brush it off as "the cut and thrust of parliamentary debates and exchanges".
Tory MP Julian Smith said: “The smear made against Keir Starmer relating to Jimmy Saville yesterday is wrong & cannot be defended. It should be withdrawn.
“False and baseless personal slurs are dangerous, corrode trust & can't just be accepted as part of the cut & thrust of parliamentary debate.”
