Liz Truss’s senior aide Jason Stein has suspension lifted following two-day investigation into hostile No10 briefing against ‘s***’ Sajid Javid
- Jason Stein had been subject to a formal investigation by Whitehall watchdo
- Top No10 aide had been suspended amid row over hostile newspaper briefings
- Tory MPs angered at Sajid Javid being branded ‘s***’ by a Downing Street source
- Stein’s suspension lifted a day after PM’s resignation ends chaotic premiership
One of Liz Truss’s most senior political aides has had his suspension lifted following a two-day investigation into a hostile briefing against ex-Cabinet minister Sajid Javid.
Jason Stein, a special adviser to the now-resigned Prime Minister, had been subject to a formal investigation by Whitehall’s propriety and ethics team.
News of his suspension broke on Wednesday afternoon as Ms Truss was quizzed at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.
But Downing Street today revealed Mr Stein’s suspension had ended and the probe concluded.
It comes a day after Ms Truss announced her resignation as PM following a disastrous 44-day premiership.
A No 10 press secretary said: ‘The investigation has concluded and the suspension has ended.’
Jason Stein, a special adviser to the now-resigned Prime Minister, had been subject to a formal investigation by Whitehall’s propriety and ethics team
There has been anger among Tory MPs over hostile briefings to newspapers from No10 sources at the weekend. This included Sajid Javid being branded ‘s***’
Guy Opperman confirmed he directly challenged Ms Truss over the row on Monday. He told MailOnline of Mr Stein: ‘He should never have been hired. Not fit to work in No10’
There has been anger among Tory MPs over hostile briefings to newspapers from No10 sources at the weekend.
This included Mr Javid being branded ‘s***’ as Downing Street denied they had initially lined him up to be Ms Truss’s new Chancellor, prior to the appointment of Jeremy Hunt.
No10 this week did not deny reports the PM had authorised briefings against Mr Javid and Michael Gove – who was recently accused of being a ‘sadist’ by an unnamed Downing Street aide.
Tory former minister Guy Opperman confirmed he had directly challenged the PM over the briefings row when Ms Truss addressed the ‘One Nation’ group of Conservative MPs on Monday night.
Mr Opperman told MailOnline of Mr Stein: ‘He should never have been hired by the PM. Not fit to work in No10.’
It was claimed Mr Javid had made Mr Stein’s suspension – news of which came shortly after PMQs began on Wednesday – a condition of him not directly raising the row with Ms Truss in the Commons.
Mr Javid had been listed to ask a question during PMQs but did not end up speaking in the Commons.
Quizzed about Mr Stein’s suspension, Ms Truss’s press secretary said: ‘The PM has made very clear to her team that some of the sort of briefings that we have seen are completely unacceptable about parliamentary colleagues and they must stop.’
Mr Stein – who previously worked for Prince Andrew – has now had his suspension lifted foillowing the conclusion of a probe
Mr Stein left his role with Prince Andrew amid reports he was overruled when he told the Queen’s second son not to do a BBC Newsnight interview
After Kwasi Kwarteng’s sacking as Chancellor by Ms Truss – in the wake of the mini-Budget meltdown – it was claimed allies of the PM had reached out to Mr Javid as a potential replacement.
The Sunday Times reported Mr Javid would have taken on the role but wanted ‘complete control’ over taxes and public spending, as well as the reinstatment of Sir Tom Scholar as the Treasury’s top civil servant.
In a denial of the claims that Mr Javid had ever been considered to replace Mr Kwarteng, a No10 source told the newspaper: ‘The Prime Minister laughed out loud at the suggestion.
‘She has sat in the Cabinet with Javid for ten years and she knows who is good and who is s***.’
Earlier this month, after Mr Gove had led a rebellion over Ms Truss’s plans to scrap the 45p tax rate, a No10 aide told the Mail on Sunday: ‘Michael clearly gets his kicks in a sadistic way.’
Mr Stein, a former adviser to ex-work and pensions secretary Amber Rudd, had worked on Ms Truss’s Tory leadership campaign this summer before joining her No10 team.
He left a previous role as an adviser to Prince Andrew in 2019.
His departure came amid reports he was overruled when he told the Queen’s second son not to do a BBC Newsnight interview about his relationship with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
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