Carrie Johnson 'should not be dragged into gutter' with PM, Keir Starmer says

Carrie Johnson says she is being targeted by a 'brutal briefing campaign'. Credit: Number 10

Boris Johnson's wife Carrie should not be dragged into the gutter along with her husband, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The prime minister sidestepped the question when asked about his wife's claim that his enemies are targeting her with a "brutal briefing campaign" - but Sir Keir was outright in his response.

He told broadcasters: "I approach politics on the basis that we should treat people with respect. We can profoundly disagree, but we should treat people with respect.

"And I would take exactly that approach with Carrie Johnson. Obviously respect differences of opinion, but I do not go along with the idea that we should drag everybody into the gutter."

Mr Johnson, when asked about attacks on his wife, said: "I think it's entirely fair for people to focus on the issues that I'm focused on and that is number one, our priority, which is to tackle the Covid backlogs and rebuild our economy."

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said earlier that attacks on Mrs Johnson are "sexist" and "misogynistic".

He told the BBC: "No, I don't think it's fair or right at all, and I'll tell you why. I just think as a general rule, a politician's partner - any politician, any party - should be off limits.

"It's the politician that has chosen to have a public life... I think the, this whole focus on Carrie Johnson in some of these reports, I think it's very undignified and very unfair."

Asked if it was "misogynistic", he replied "yes", asked if it was "sexist", he replied "yes".

Carrie Johnson says PM’s enemies are targeting her in ‘brutal campaign’
'Absolutely not': Boris Johnson responds to claims Rishi Sunak wants his job

It came after a biography about Ms Johnson, written by Tory peer Lord Ashcroft, said her “behaviour is preventing him (Boris Johnson) from leading Britain as effectively as the voters deserve”.

The book, serialised in the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday said Mr Johnson's chances of becoming a good prime minister were "squandered" because of his wife.

But Ms Symonds hit back in a rare statement, with her spokesperson saying she has "yet again" been "targeted by a brutal briefing campaign against her by enemies of her husband".

“This is just the latest attempt by bitter ex-officials to discredit her. She is a private individual who plays no role in government.”

The PM's wife has been implicated in numerous controversies, with reports accusing her of being pushing for the luxury redecoration of the flat couple's in Number 11 flat and advocating for animals to be evacuated from Afghanistan.

No 10 has denied Mr and Mrs Johnson had any involvement in the evacuation.

Mrs Johnson was a former Tory special adviser and the party's head of communications before she married the prime minister.

One of Mr Johnson's advisers understood be a good friend of Mrs Johnson left his role at Number 10 amid reports of her influence over the prime minister.

Henry Newman left to work for Michael Gove in a "mutually agreed decision with the prime minister", Mr Johnson's spokesman said.

Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s former chief aide, has made clear he was no fan of Mrs Johnson, and said she had wanted to “get rid” of him from No 10.

He alleged she was at one point “trying to change a whole bunch of different appointments at Number 10 and appoint her friends to particular jobs”.