Senior Adviser to UK Prime Minister Reportedly Suspended While Investigation Ongoing
Britain’s Prime Minister Liz Truss looks down during a press conference in the Downing Street Briefing Room in central London on October 14, 2022
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A senior adviser to UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has been suspended from his duties at Downing Street for the duration of the investigation regarding him, British media reported on Wednesday.Jason Stein, a special adviser to Truss and acting Downing Street head of political communications, is suspected of being responsible for unauthorized briefings where he criticized former cabinet ministers, according to British broadcaster Sky News. Stein will be subject to an official investigation by the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics unit, the report said.The Truss government has been harshly criticized for its economic policy that proved unable to curb inflation and price hikes, as well as sparked concerns about an increase in public debt. The so-called mini-budget was presented on September 23 by then Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, who had to step down last Friday.
Opinion & AnalysisNo Trust for Truss: Why End is Nigh for Liz’s Prime Ministership16 October, 18:11 GMTAfter the plan’s announcement, the yield on five-year UK government bonds rose to its highest level since 2008, at 4.6%, which meant a decrease in demand for debt securities. Consequently, the pound fell to an all-time low of $1.054 per pound.The UK prime minister’s support ratings have dropped to 10%, with some 53% of Britons being in favor of Truss’s resignation, an Ipsos poll showed. Earlier in the day, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that Truss’ resignation would not solve the problems in the country, amid media reports that some Tories were considering persuading Truss to step down.
