Diversions Regarding Alaa Abd el-Fattah Were a Recurring Gag, Says Former Starmer Adviser
Efforts to free of Alaa Abd el-Fattah frequently diverted Keir Starmer’s government from focusing on core home affairs, as stated by a former member of the prime minister’s closest ex-aides.
A 'Running Joke' Within Government
Paul Ovenden, who stepped down last year as the PM's chief of strategy, said the case of the imprisoned activist became a “recurring punchline” among those in government frustrated by the lack of progress of change.
“We would be having long meetings on the priorities of the government, and frequently they would be derailed via any other business into discussions of this individual,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
He continued, “Most of us on the political side of government weren’t that aware of it – weren’t that tuned into it – because it didn’t impact us on a day-to-day basis. It actually became a bit of a kind of a running joke within government that people would invariably find a way to return to this conversation.”
A Sign of Wider Struggles
Ovenden said the significant focus dedicated to freeing Abd el-Fattah was indicative of a government that has struggled to stay focused on voters’ core priorities in the face of pressure from “well-connected” activist groups and quasi-independent agencies.
Ovenden’s comments were made during his first public intervention since he stepped down in September, following revelations he sent offensive texts about the Labour MP Diane Abbott previously.
Shared Frustrations in Downing Street
However, Ovenden’s assessment is shared by many in Downing Street, including the prime minister, who lamented last month about excessive red tape 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 prohibiting cigarettes in pub gardens as further examples.
“At a time when the public is getting more and more frustrated, ever more disillusioned with inaction, more and more fed up with distraction, in my opinion, we cannot justify to be spending their time on what I consider diversions,” he said.
Calls for Policy Overhaul
In a separate piece, he urges the government to scale back environmental regulations, reduce benefits expenditure and even scrap the triple-lock on pensions.
“It is not necessary to keep taking money of the productive parts of our economy in order to pay for inflation-busting pension increases for millionaires or an unsustainable welfare system,” he argues. “We don’t have to strangle entrepreneurs from the outset with excessive regulation.”
As one of a handful of advisers around the prime minister since his days in opposition, his exit was widely regarded as a setback to Starmer, while his critique of Whitehall priorities finds sympathy in certain quarters.
