Attempts to secure the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah frequently diverted Keir Starmer’s government from focusing on bread-and-butter domestic political issues, 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 PM's chief of strategy, said the case of the British political prisoner evolved into a “running joke” among those in Whitehall exasperated with the slow pace of change.
“We would be having long meetings on the key goals of the government, and often they would be railroaded via any other business into conversations of this gentleman,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
He continued, “The majority on the political team of government weren’t that aware of it – not closely following it – because it didn't affect us daily. It truly turned into 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 significant focus dedicated to freeing Abd el-Fattah was symptomatic of a government that has struggled to stay focused on voters’ core priorities in the face of pressure from “influential” campaign organisations and quasi-independent agencies.
These remarks were made during his initial public statement since he stepped down in September, after it was revealed he sent inappropriate messages about the Labour MP Diane Abbott previously.
Shared Frustrations in Downing Street
However, Ovenden’s assessment is shared by many in Downing Street, even the prime minister, who lamented last month about excessive red tape slowing government action.
Ovenden said Abd el-Fattah’s case was among a number of areas where the government became distracted from its main objectives. He cited controversies over reparations to former colonies and banning smoking in outdoor hospitality areas as further examples.
“When the public is getting increasingly impatient, ever more disillusioned with a lack of progress, more and more fed up with side issues, in my opinion, we simply can’t afford to be using valuable time on what I consider diversions,” he said.
Calls for Policy Overhaul
In a separate piece, he calls on the government to roll back environmental regulations, cut welfare spending 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 above-inflation pension rises for the wealthy or an unsustainable welfare system,” he writes. “There is no need to strangle small businesses from the outset with regulatory burdens.”
As one of a handful of advisers around the prime minister since his days in opposition, his departure was widely regarded as a setback to Starmer, while his critique of governmental focus finds sympathy in certain quarters.
