Senior Starmer aide quits over ‘sexually specific’ messages about Diane Abbott in new blow to PM

[ad_1] A senior Downing Road aide has resigned after “sexually specific” messages he wrote about Labour MP Diane Abbott have been uncovered.

Quantity 10’s Director of Technique Paul Ovenden give up on Monday when emails he despatched in 2017 emerged.

The previous Sunday newspaper journalist started working for Labour in 2014 and is an in depth ally of each the Prime Minister and his chief of employees Morgan McSweeney.

Mr Ovenden resigned to keep away from turning into “a distraction” to the federal government, which has been marred in scandal in latest weeks.

It's understood the emails have been a part of a cache of inner messages that have been leaked in 2020 and confirmed senior Labour officers have been overtly plotting towards Jeremy Corbyn’s management.

Who's Paul Ovenden? Paul Ovenden was Sir Keir Starmer’s director of technique at Quantity 10 from January this 12 months till his resignation at this time. Mr Ovenden resigned after messages he despatched making lurid sexual feedback about former Labour MP Diane Abbott have been leaked.

He began his profession as a journalist, working on the Sunday Telegraph and Sky, earlier than becoming a member of the Labour Social gathering as a press officer below Jeremy Corbyn’s management in 2014. Mr Ovenden served as deputy director of communications originally of Sir Keir’s management.

Throughout his time working below Sir Keir, Mr Ovenden served because the occasion’s director of assault and rebuttal, which noticed him take duty for sourcing info to break the Conservative election marketing campaign. Within the position he concurrently labored to defend Sir Keir from political and private assaults within the media.

He additionally labored as a particular advisor to Sir Keir from July 2024 till his resignation at this time after his specific sexual messages about Diane Abbott have been obtained by ITV Information.

Mr Ovenden is claimed to have mentioned feedback two feminine employees members made about intercourse acts involving Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP Ms Abbott.

A No 10 spokesperson stated: "These messages are appalling and unacceptable. As the primary black lady to be elected to Parliament, Diane Abbott is a trailblazer who has confronted horrendous abuse all through her political profession.

"These sorts of feedback haven't any place in our politics."

It's the newest blow to Sir Keir Starmer and comes as Labour MPs are reeling over high-profile sackings and resignations in latest weeks, together with Angela Rayner who give up as Deputy Prime Minister following a tax scandal and Lord Peter Mandelson being fired a British Ambassador to the US over his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Labour is trailing Nigel Farage's Reform UK in public opinion polls and has misplaced various council by-elections since Sir Keir turned Prime Minister final July.

A cupboard reshuffle final week noticed a number of ministers sacked and a purge of the House Workplace, which has been blamed for blocking reforms wanted to cease small boats.

Labour suspended Ms Abbott from the occasion for a second time in July after she stated she didn't remorse her previous remarks she had made about racism.

Lord Peter Mandelson and Sir Keir Starmer (PA Wire)

On the time she stated it was “apparent this Labour management desires me out”.

Talking earlier than Mr Ovenden’s resignation on Monday, Ms Abbott instructed Instances Radio: “I don’t wish to say that we should always have a brand new chief tomorrow, however we all know there are going to be a giant set of elections in Could, together with Scotland and Wales.

“And we all know that everyone is saying, not least Scottish and Welsh MPs, that we’re going to do badly in them. And I feel if we do as badly as individuals say, effectively, it is going to be the case then that Starmer’s future as Labour chief and Labour prime minister might be over, actually.”

Sir Keir on Monday stated he would by no means have appointed Lord Peter Mandelson because the ambassador to the US if he had identified the complete extent of his relationship with paedophile financier Epstein.

The Prime Minister sacked Lord Mandelson final week however has confronted questions on his judgment in appointing the peer, whose friendship with Epstein was public information, within the first place.

Sir Keir gave public backing to Lord Mandelson at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday solely to sack him the next day after the publication of e mail exchanges with Epstein.

The PM instructed broadcasters that Lord Mandelson went by a correct due diligence course of earlier than his appointment. However he added: "Had I identified then what I do know now, I would have by no means appointed him."