A Jewish special advisor to the prime minister has been suspended from his role, pending an official investigation.
Minutes before Liz Truss faced Prime Minister’s Questions at noon on Wednesday, it was confirmed that communications aide Jason Stein will face a formal probe by the Cabinet Office’s Propriety and Ethics Team.
The suspension of King David High School alumnus Stein follows days of uncertainty surrounding Ms Truss’ fledgling premiership and comes after several Conservative MPs reportedly expressed frustration with Mr Stein’s briefings.
When quizzed earlier today regarding Mr Stein’s suspension, a No 10 spokesperson said, "The prime minister has made it very clear that some of the briefings are completely unacceptable and must stop.”
They did not refer to Mr Stein by name.
Former minister Guy Opperman told MailOnline today that he openly challenged Ms Truss over the issue at her meeting with the 'One Nation' group of Conservative MPs on Monday.
“He should never have been hired by the PM. Not fit to work in No10,” Mr Opperman told the news site.
Several media outlets have reported that former health secretary Sajid Javid was dissatisfied about briefings to The Sunday Times, who reported over the weekend that a "No 10 source" suggested that Ms Truss thought ex-chancellor Javid was "sh**".
ITV’s political editor Robert Peston wrote: “He blamed Truss’s adviser Jason Stein and was planning to humiliate the PM by asking a question about Stein at #PMQs.
“After talking to cabinet secretary Simon Case, Javid said his condition for not hijacking #PMQs is Stein would be suspended and there should be investigation by Cabinet Office’s Propriety and Ethics committee. Stein has duly been suspended and probe is happening.
“But it won’t end there, because Stein is confident he cannot be sanctioned for what happened, which carries the implication others in Downing St are to blame.”
Some corners of Westminster had touted Mr Javid as a potential replacement for Kwasi Kwarteng however his predecessor at the Department for Health, Jeremy Hunt was chosen
He previously served as an advisor to Ms Truss during her tenure as Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
He was subsequently appointed as special advisor to then Work and Pensions secretary Amber Rudd.
Back in 2019, Mr Stein worked on Jeremy Hunt’s leadership campaign.
However, he did not assist with Hunt’s renewed bid for the Tory leadership earlier this year, instead supporting the Foreign Secretary’s successful campaign.
Mr Stein also worked as a communications advisor to Prince Andrew in September 2019 and is believed to have quit several weeks shy of the Duke of York's car-crash Newsnight interview after he ignored Mr Stein’s advice to reject the interview request.
The JC has approached Mr Stein for comment.
