Starmer was 'in the dark' as he defended Mandelson

BLOW Keir Starmer has lost a top adviser in latest setback

- BY LIZZY BUCHAN Political Editor and SOPHIE HUSKISSON

A SENIOR Downing Street aide has resigned after sexually explicit jokes he made about MP Diane Abbott were leaked, in a fresh blow to Keir Starmer.

Paul Ovenden, the Prime Minister's director of strategy, quit after it emerged that he had shared the derogatory comments with a female colleague while working in Labour's press team in 2017.

The loss of one of his closest advisers is a disaster for Mr Starmer, who is battling to get on the front foot after he was forced to sack Peter Mandelson as US ambassador over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.