A senior adviser to Liz Truss has been suspended pending an investigation, HuffPost UK understands.
Jason Stein, an experienced special adviser, is set to be probed by the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team amid concerns over “unacceptable” briefings to journalists.
The former adviser to Amber Rudd and Prince Andrew had been acting head of political communications in No.10.
At the weekend, The Sunday Times quoted a No.10 source saying that former cabinet minister Sajid Javid had not been considered for chancellor after Kwasi Kwarteng’s sacking because he is “shit”.
HuffPost UK has approached Stein for comment.
News of his suspension broke shortly before prime minister’s questions started on Wednesday.
It is understood Javid was going to ask Truss a question about the briefing against him, but agreed to withdraw it following Stein’s suspension.
Stein’s departure is another blow for Truss after a disastrous week in which she sacked her chancellor, saw her economic strategy torn up and faces calls from Tory MPs to step down.
Stein also managed much of Truss’s press operations during the summer leadership campaign.
Asked about his suspension, Truss’s press secretary said the PM had issued a warning to aides that “unacceptable” briefings against Tory MPs must stop.
“I am not going to get into individual staffing matters,” he said.
“But the prime minister 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.”