PRINCE Andrew's crisis PR man left without even being paid after just a month in the job after advising against the Newsnight interview.

Jason Stein, 28, was hired two months ago to help deal with the fall out from the Duke of York's links with scandal hit Jeffrey Epstein.

He was made Communications Secretary to the Prince after losing his job as special adviser to Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd when she quit after 21 Tory MPs lost the whip.

A source close to Manchester-born Jason said:''He hadn't really got his feet under the table when he decided to leave and move on and he didn't even get paid, he wasn't there long enough.

“He had one meeting with the Prince and his team and he strongly advised them against giving the Newsnight interview.

“He knows what Emily Matlis is like as his background was in Westminster and he knows she is a fearsome interviewer. He really, really strongly advised Andrew against giving the interview.

“In fact at that meeting Andrew also seemed dead against it but the rest of his team and Amanda Thirsk, the Duke's private secretary, were very keen for him to do it. They talked him round and he agreed to go on it and we've all now seen what a disaster that was.

“There is a certain sense of 'I did tell you so' and it's quite clear now from the reaction that it wasn't a very clever thing to do. Jason was stunned when he learned the Duke was going to go through with it. He had made it very clear in that first meeting they shouldn't go ahead with it.

“He had voiced his concerns and had suggested other initiatives for the Duke to follow to try and get his standing back on track. He had suggested an interview in Britain and one in the States to mark his 60th birthday next year.

“He also put forward an idea for him to do more charity work and to get sports clubs to provide tickets for veterans playing on the fact the Duke of York is himself a veteran but instead they opted for the interview.

“It was quite clear the path they were taking and so Jason left after less than a month by mutual consent.”

• GOT a news story? RING us on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]

Source: Read Full Article