Attempts to free of the British-Egyptian activist frequently diverted the Starmer administration from concentrating on bread-and-butter domestic political issues, as stated by a former member of the PM's inner circle of former advisers.
Frustration Became a Source of Humour
Paul Ovenden, who stepped down last year as the prime minister’s director of strategy, said the case of the British political prisoner became a “running joke” among those in government frustrated by the lack of progress of change.
“We'd hold long meetings on the key goals of the government, and often they would be railroaded via AOB into discussions of this individual,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
He continued, “The majority on the political side of government were largely unaware of it – not closely following it – because it didn't affect us on a day-to-day basis. It truly turned into a sort of a standing joke within government that people would invariably find a way to bring it back to this topic.”
A Sign of Wider Struggles
Ovenden said the amount of time dedicated to the activist's case 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 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 political analysis 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 was sidetracked from its main objectives. He cited controversies over compensation for historical injustices and prohibiting cigarettes in outdoor hospitality areas as further examples.
“At a time when the public is getting more and more frustrated, ever more disillusioned with inaction, increasingly tired with side issues, in my opinion, we simply can’t afford to be using valuable time on what I consider distractions,” he said.
Advocating for a Radical Shift
In a separate piece, he calls on the government to scale back green rules, reduce welfare spending and even scrap the triple-lock on pensions.
“We don’t have to keep picking the pockets of the productive parts of our economy in order to fund above-inflation pension rises for millionaires or an unaffordable benefits framework,” he argues. “We don’t have to strangle entrepreneurs at birth with regulatory burdens.”
Having been part 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 setback to Starmer, while his analysis of governmental focus resonates in certain quarters.
