Paul Ovenden, a senior aide to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, has resigned after offensive and sexual text messages about veteran MP Diane Abbott came to light. The messages, reported by the Daily Mail, date back eight years. They were part of a private online conversation.
In a statement Ovenden said he was “truly, deeply sorry for it and the hurt it will cause.” A spokesperson for the prime minister described the messages as “appalling and unacceptable.” They emphasized Abbott’s trailblazing role as the first Black woman elected to Parliament. Abbott, who has represented Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987, declined to comment on Ovenden’s resignation.
Therefore, Ovenden, who served as Starmer’s director of political strategy, admitted the messages were sent when he was a Labour press officer. They reportedly described colleagues’ comments during a graphic version of the game Snog, Marry, Avoid. The messages contained sexualized references to Abbott.
Moreovere, explained in his statement that he had intended to leave government earlier in the year, before summer. “Though the messages long pre-date my current employment and relationship with the prime minister, I’ve brought forward my resignation. However, i want to avoid distracting from the vital work this government is doing,” Ovenden said. He added that his duty as an adviser is to protect the reputation of the prime minister and the government.
Furthermore, Ovenden’s resignation comes shortly after the sacking of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US. Therefore, it is also less than two weeks after Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigned. A No 10 spokesperson stressed that the prime minister remains focused on delivering practical change to improve people’s lives.
Some government insiders described the exposure of Ovenden’s messages as a “factional hit.” Furthermore, they criticized the use of private conversations from nearly a decade ago to force his resignation. Labour MP Nadia Whittome condemned the messages, calling the “misogynistic comments…recounted with glee by Paul Ovenden…utterly despicable.”
The incident has intensified scrutiny of Downing Street. It comes amid multiple recent resignations and controversies. This raises questions about the handling of past private conduct by political advisers.
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