One of Sir Keir Starmer’s most senior advisers made sexually explicit and offensive remarks about veteran MP Diane Abbott, ITV News can reveal.
Messages seen by ITV News show Paul Ovenden, who served as the Director of Strategy in Downing Street and was one of a handful of top aides in Number 10, admitting to discussing Ms Abbott in derogatory sexual terms with Labour colleagues in 2017.
In light of the messages revealed by ITV News, Mr Ovenden has resigned from his role at Number 10.
Mr Ovenden, who earned between £115,000 and £120,000 a year, recalled having played a more explicit version of the game of ‘snog, marry, avoid’ with Labour Party colleagues the previous day, saying, “I nearly wet myself from laughing.”
In the exchange, which took place on the Labour Party’s internal instant messaging system, Mr Ovenden recounted a conversation involving a sex toy and multiple sex acts directed at Ms Abbott, which he himself described as “outrageous”.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has admitted he would never have appointed Lord Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the United States had he known the full extent of his ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The prime minister dismissed Mandelson last week after emails surfaced revealing the peer’s correspondence with Epstein, despite having publicly defended him at Prime Minister’s Questions just a day earlier.
Speaking to broadcasters, Stamer insisted Mandelson had gone through a “proper due diligence process” before being given the role. But he added: “Had I known then what I know now, I’d have never appointed him.”
Also today, former Conservative MP Danny Kruger defected to Reform UK.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Nigel Farage, Kruger claimed, "the Conservative Party is over," but that its "failure" had made way for Reform as an alternative.
"The flame is passing from one torch to another," said the MP for East Wiltshire, describing his decision to defect as “personally painful."
Introducing Danny Kruger to the podium, Nigel Farage told reporters Kruger would lead a department preparing Reform UK for government.
"Our mission is not just to overthrow the current system, it is to restore it," Kruger elaborated.
Adding: "If you are serious about saving our country… We want your help," before calling for people to join the party as well as provide "confidential advice," if they worked in the "public sector or military."
