Starmer aide’s exit over lewd Abbott jokes deepens crisis as Trump arrives

Labour MPs talk openly about replacing PM, as third senior ally in two weeks departs after publication of WhatsApps

The crisis engulfing Keir Starmer has deepened on the eve of Donald Trump's visit to the UK after the resignation of a third senior ally in two weeks raised further questions about the stability of his government.

Paul Ovenden quit as the prime minister's director of political strategy after the publication of old WhatsApp messages in which Ovenden relayed lewd jokes made at a party about the Labour MP Diane Abbott.