Distractions Over Alaa Abd el-Fattah Became a Running Joke, States Ex-Starmer Aide
Efforts to secure the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah frequently diverted Keir Starmer’s government from concentrating on bread-and-butter domestic political issues, as stated by a former member of the PM's inner circle of former advisers.
A 'Running Joke' Within Government
Paul Ovenden, who stood down last year as the PM's chief of strategy, claimed the case of the British political prisoner evolved into a “running joke” 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 conversations of this gentleman,” he stated on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
He continued, “The majority 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 standing joke within government that people would always find a way to bring it back to this conversation.”
Symptomatic of a Broader Issue
Ovenden said the amount of time spent on freeing Abd el-Fattah was symptomatic of a government that has found it difficult to stay focused on voters’ core priorities in the face of pressure from “influential” campaign organisations and arms-length bodies.
Ovenden’s comments were made during his first public intervention since he stepped down in September, after it was revealed he sent offensive texts about the Labour MP Diane Abbott previously.
Shared Frustrations in Downing Street
But, Ovenden’s assessment is shared by many in Downing Street, including the prime minister, who complained last month about excessive red tape slowing government action.
Ovenden said Abd el-Fattah’s case was one of several areas where the government became distracted from its primary goals. He pointed to rows over reparations to former colonies and banning smoking in outdoor hospitality areas as other instances.
“When the public is getting increasingly impatient, ever more disillusioned with a lack of progress, increasingly tired with distraction, in my opinion, we simply can’t afford to be spending their time on what I consider diversions,” he said.
Calls for Policy Overhaul
In a separate piece, he calls on the government to scale back environmental regulations, cut welfare spending and even end the triple-lock on pensions.
“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 the wealthy or an unaffordable benefits framework,” he writes. “We don’t have to stifle small businesses from the outset with excessive regulation.”
As one of a small group of advisers close to the prime minister since his days in the opposition benches, his departure was widely regarded as a blow to Starmer, while his analysis of Whitehall priorities finds sympathy in certain quarters.
