Boris Johnson's "deliberately careless use of language" contributed to Sir Keir Starmer having to be rescued by police from thugs, a Kent MP believes.

The Labour leader was bundled into a police car by officers after a mob levelling baseless allegations his way of “protecting paedophiles” surrounded him near Parliament.

This comes after the Prime Minister falsely claimed last week Sir Keir “used his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile” before entering politics.

The county's longest-serving MP has criticised Mr Johnson for his actions, urging him to issue an apology at the despatch box.

North Thanet Conservative Sir Roger Gale, who was first elected in 1983, said: "Grim scenes outside Parliament today and disgraceful treatment of Sir Keir Starmer.

"All MPs have a right to go about our lawful business without intimidation.

"This, I fear, is the direct result of the deliberately careless use of language in the chamber.

"It has, I’m afraid, played into the hands of some rather unpleasant people.

"I think what he ought to do is to go to the despatch box tomorrow to condemn the way Keir was treated and apologise."

Labour's Rosie Duffield, of Canterbury, also says it was a "grim day", noting she was "seriously distressed" in 2019 when Mr Johnson dismissed concerns over his use of terms such as "betrayal" and "traitor" as "humbug".

However, Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson said Boris Johnson's comments were 'legitimate'

He said: “The Prime Minister, in the heat of debate, made a comment about the responsibility of the leader of the opposition, when he was head of the CPS.

“My own view is that, in the cut and thrust of debate, it was perfectly legitimate what he said, because being at the coalface, I have heard the leader of the opposition Keir Starmer, on a number of occasions, boasting about when he was head of the CPS, prosecuting all sorts of different people. He didn’t prosecute them, but as head of the CPS, he took the credit for having done so.

"I think it's only legitimate to say now when he should take responsibility not only when the CPS prosecuted people, but take the criticism when they felt to prosecute somebody in this case, Jimmy Saville.

"It was a perfectly legitimate comment that is being blown up by the Prime Minister’s critics and those who have always opposed him to try and destabilise him yet again.

“I saw the snip of what happened and lots of insults were being hurled at Keir Starmer in the exact same way that those lunatic anti-vaxxers have done for people on all sides of the chamber, including Michael Gove.

“They happen to mention Jimmy Savile and people picked up on that, but I would just leave it to the husband of our dear colleague Joe Cox.

“Brendan Cox said this morning and he made quite clear: ‘It’s hard to draw a link between what the prime minister said and in some way make him responsible.’

“It’s simply not the case."

At least six Conservatives across the country, including a former Cabinet minister, also linked the harassment to the baseless claim Mr Johnson made while under pressure over the partygate scandal.

Julian Smith, who previously served as Northern Ireland secretary, tweeted: “What happened to Keir Starmer tonight outside parliament is appalling.

“It is really important for our democracy and for his security that the false Savile slurs made against him are withdrawn in full.”

Former minister Stephen Hammond, one of 15 Tory MPs to publicly call for Mr Johnson to resign over alleged Covid breaches, agreed with Mr Smith, as did Robert Largan and Aaron Bell, who were elected in 2019.

Tobias Ellwood, the Conservative who chairs the Commons Defence Committee, also called for the government to put a stop to the "drift towards a Trumpian style of politics".

Officers stepped in to protect the opposition leader as the group, some protesting against Covid measures, followed him from outside Scotland Yard.

On at least two videos posted to social media, a man and a woman were heard shouting about Savile to the Labour leader, as he walked with shadow foreign secretary David Lammy.

Scotland Yard said two people were arrested on suspicion of assault after a traffic cone was thrown at a police officer during the unrest.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby today spoke out about the threats Sir Keir received.

"When politicians are harassed and threatened it’s a threat not just to the MPs themselves, but to the health of our democracy," he tweeted.

"We must condemn it and stand united against it. I continue to pray for all who work in politics, and for a culture where we can learn to disagree well."

Mr Johnson tweeted last night the “behaviour directed” at the Labour leader was “absolutely disgraceful”, but did not address the nature of the abuse.

“The behaviour directed at the Leader of the Opposition tonight is absolutely disgraceful," he said.

“All forms of harassment of our elected representatives are completely unacceptable.”

Sir Keir apologised while director of public prosecutions in 2013 for the CPS having failed to bring Savile to justice four years earlier.

There is, however, no evidence that Sir Keir had any personal role in the failure to prosecute the man who was one of Britain’s most egregious sex offenders before his death in 2011.