BORIS JOHNSON refusing to apologise for his controversial comments will only help “legitimise” prejudice, Labour’s shadow women and equalities secretary Dawn Butler warned today.

In an interview with Sky’s Sophy Ridge, Tory leadership contender Mr Johnson said his article describing black people as “picanninies” with “watermelon smiles” had been “satirical” and taken “out of context.”

He also did not apologise for insulting remarks about Muslim women and for describing gay men as “tank-topped bum boys.”