Distractions Regarding Abd el-Fattah Were a Recurring Gag, Says Former Starmer Aide
Attempts to free of the British-Egyptian activist regularly distracted Keir Starmer’s government from focusing on core home affairs, as stated by a former member of the prime minister’s closest ex-aides.
Frustration Became a Source of Humour
Paul Ovenden, who stood down last year as the prime minister’s director of strategy, said the case of the British political prisoner evolved into a “recurring punchline” among those in government frustrated by the lack of progress of change.
“We would be having extended discussions on the priorities of the government, and frequently they would be railroaded via any other business into discussions of this individual,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
He added, “Most of us on the political team of government weren’t that aware of it – weren’t that tuned into it – because it didn’t impact us daily. It truly turned into a bit of a kind of a standing joke within government that people would invariably find a way to return to this topic.”
A Sign of Wider Struggles
Ovenden said the significant focus dedicated to freeing Abd el-Fattah was indicative of a government that has found it difficult to remain concentrated on voters’ core priorities in the face of pressure from “well-connected” campaign organisations and quasi-independent agencies.
These remarks were made during his first public intervention since he resigned in September, after it was revealed he sent inappropriate messages about the Labour MP Diane Abbott eight years ago.
Shared Frustrations in Downing Street
However, Ovenden’s assessment is shared by many in Downing Street, even the prime minister, who complained last month about bureaucratic hurdles delaying government action.
Ovenden said Abd el-Fattah’s case was among a number of areas where the government became distracted from its primary goals. He cited controversies over compensation for historical injustices and banning smoking in outdoor hospitality areas as other instances.
“At a time when the public is getting more and more frustrated, ever more disillusioned with a lack of progress, increasingly tired with distraction, in my opinion, we cannot justify to be using valuable time on what I consider diversions,” he said.
Advocating for a Radical Shift
In a further article, he urges the government to roll back green rules, reduce benefits expenditure and even end the guaranteed pension increase mechanism.
“We don’t have to keep picking the pockets of the productive parts of our economy in order to pay for inflation-busting pension increases for millionaires or an unaffordable benefits framework,” he argues. “There is no need to strangle small businesses at birth with regulatory burdens.”
Having been part of a handful of advisers around the prime minister since his days in the opposition benches, his exit was seen by many as a setback to Starmer, even as his critique of Whitehall priorities resonates in certain quarters.
