Tories pressured BBC over Johnson’s claim Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile

Party asked corporation not to say accusation was ‘false’ relating to time when Labour leader was DPP

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The Conservative party put pressure on the BBC not to describe a claim by Boris Johnson that Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile as “false”, the Guardian has been told.

The allegation made by Johnson in February last year prompted fury, including from within his own party, and he eventually rowed back on the claim.