Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been dealt another major blow after his senior adviser, Paul Ovenden, resigned over inappropriate messages about Labour MP Diane Abbott dating back to 2017.
Ovenden, who was serving as Starmer’s director of political strategy, quit on Monday following revelations of a sexually explicit WhatsApp exchange he had as a junior press officer eight years ago.
Resignation Adds to Starmer’s Political Woes
The resignation comes after a turbulent fortnight for Starmer’s government, which has already been rocked by the loss of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Washington ambassador Peter Mandelson over separate scandals. The string of controversies has fueled growing unease within Labour ranks as Starmer prepares to host US President Donald Trump’s visit to the UK this week.
The WhatsApp Messages
Leaked messages showed Ovenden joking with a friend about a party where attendees made sexual remarks about Abbott, the longest-serving woman MP in the House of Commons. The conversation reportedly included references to a “shag, marry, kill” game.
In his statement, Ovenden admitted that while the conversation was private and long before his senior government role, he felt it necessary to step down early to avoid further distraction:
“As an adviser, my duty is to protect the reputation of the prime minister and his government… I am truly, deeply sorry for it and the hurt it will cause.”
Reaction from Abbott and Downing Street
Abbott condemned the remarks, describing them as “very unpleasant” and likening them to findings in the Forde Report on bullying, racism, and sexism within Labour.
A Downing Street spokesperson added: “These messages are appalling and unacceptable. Diane Abbott is a trailblazer who has faced horrendous abuse throughout her career. These kinds of comments have no place in our politics.”
A Major Loss for Starmer’s Inner Circle
Ovenden had been a key figure in Labour’s election campaign machinery, working on attack strategies against the Conservatives before moving to political strategy in government. Labour insiders called him “a massive loss,” with some warning that his departure leaves chief of staff Morgan McSweeney increasingly exposed.
Though Ovenden had planned to resign after the upcoming party conference, his early exit underscores the fragility of Starmer’s leadership as scandals mount and party unity falters.
Paul Ovenden joined Labour in 2014 as a press officer and later played a prominent role in preparing opposition material that shaped media coverage during election cycles. His fingerprints were widely credited with Labour’s success in last year’s election. His resignation is seen as particularly damaging because he represented one of Starmer’s closest and most trusted strategists
