Diversions Regarding Alaa Abd el-Fattah Were a Running Joke, Says Ex-Starmer Aide
Efforts to secure the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah regularly distracted the Starmer administration from focusing on core domestic political issues, as stated by one of the prime minister’s closest former advisers.
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 Whitehall frustrated by the slow pace of change.
“We would be having extended discussions on the key goals of the government, and frequently they would be derailed via AOB into discussions of this gentleman,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
He continued, “Most of us on the political team of government were largely unaware of it – not closely following it – because it didn't affect us daily. It actually became a sort of a standing 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 spent on the activist's case was indicative of a government that has found it difficult to remain concentrated on the public's main concerns in the face of pressure from “well-connected” campaign organisations and arms-length bodies.
These remarks came in his first public intervention since he resigned in September, following revelations he sent inappropriate messages about the Labour MP Diane Abbott previously.
Shared Frustrations in Downing Street
However, Ovenden’s assessment is echoed 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 one of several areas where the government became distracted from its main objectives. He pointed to controversies over reparations to former colonies and banning smoking in pub gardens as other instances.
“When the public is getting more and more frustrated, more and more fed up with inaction, more and more fed up with side issues, in my opinion, we simply can’t afford to be spending their time on what I consider diversions,” he said.
Advocating for a Radical Shift
In a separate piece, he calls on the government to roll back green rules, cut welfare spending and even scrap the triple-lock on pensions.
“We don’t have to keep taking money of the wealth-generating sectors of our economy in order to fund above-inflation pension rises for the wealthy or an unsustainable welfare system,” he argues. “There is no need to stifle small businesses from the outset with regulatory burdens.”
As one of a small group of advisers close to the prime minister since his days in opposition, his exit was seen by many as a blow to Starmer, while his critique of Whitehall priorities resonates in certain quarters.
