`Sun' sets on career of spin doctor

THE JOURNALISTIC career of Peter Mandelson's former aide, Benjamin Wegg-Prosser, ended before it began yesterday when it emerged that he will no longer be joining The Sun.

Mr Wegg-Prosser had been expecting to start work as an assistant to the paper's editor, David Yelland, next Tuesday. However, following the hardening of The Sun's opposition to the euro, the two sides have agreed to part company even though, strictly speaking, they did not come together in the first place. Sources indicated that the split was also precipitated by fears among The Sun's political staff that employing Mr Wegg-Prosser would lead to accusations that it was climbing into bed with New Labour.

"The Sun has decided it is no longer appropriate to employ me following its decision to take a more emphatic line on the euro," Mr Wegg-Prosser, 24, said yesterday. "[It] has acted honourably throughout."

The Sun announced it was hiring the former Labour aide in the wake of Mr Mandelson's resignation as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in January. Mr Wegg-Prosser was expected to earn pounds 43,000 for acting as a political adviser to Mr Yelland. It is understood the paper's political staff were decidedly cool about the idea.