PM has ‘no doubt’ over Sunak loyalty as they put on awkward show of unity

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak put an awkward show of unity during a hospital visit this morning – days after the chancellor took a swipe at the PM over his Jimmy Savile slur.

Mr Johnson refused to apologise but was eventually forced to backtrack after falsely claiming Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer failed to prosecute notorious sex offender Savile.  

A key Downing Street aide quit in disgust over the remark, made during last week’s PMQs, which sparked widespread criticism across Westminster.

It has also prompted a wave of resignations – as reports suggest more than 100 Tory MPs could revolt against Mr Johnson in a no confidence vote.

Addressing the slur during a press conference, Mr Sunak chose not to defend the PM and admitted: ‘Being honest, I wouldn’t have said it’.

But the pair appeared on good terms when the chancellor joined the Conservative leader for a visit to Kent Oncology Centre at Maidstone Hospital on Monday.

Quizzed about whether he had doubts over Mr Sunak’s loyalty, Mr Johnson insisted: ‘Absolutely not’, as he praised Mr Sunak’s ‘sound management of the economy’.

And when asked if he ever worries the chancellor could be after his job, the PM responded: ‘I think that what we’re doing is working together across the whole of Government to fix the Covid backlogs which, believe me, is a massive priority for us, for everybody in the country.’

‘What I would say is that it’s thanks to the investment that we’re able to put in, thanks to the sound management of the economy, everything that we did, if you think about it, all the looking after business throughout the pandemic, that’s enabled our economy to bounce back so well, that in turn enables us to put the investment that we need now in the NHS,’ the PM said.

But Mr Sunak is also facing scrutiny as the nation braces for a huge rise in the cost of living and tens of millions face paying hundreds of pounds more for energy bills.

The chancellor unveiled a series of measures to help soften the blow – but some suggest he hasn’t gone far enough to help people forced to choose between fuel and food.

Mr Sunak is tipped to be one of the front runners to replace embattled Mr Johnson if he is forced out of Downing Street.

The PM has been wounded by a series of scandals, including the Sue Gray report, Metropolitan police probe and the attack on Sir Keir – who accused him of ‘parroting the conspiracy theories of violent fascists to try and score cheap political points’.

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