Recently appointed Number 10 aide Andrew Sabisky has quit his role after a backlash against previous comments he had made.
Mr Sabisky was reportedly drafted in following Boris Johnson's chief adviser Dominic Cummings appealing for "misfits and weirdos" to work in Government.
Downing Street previously refused to condemn comments from Mr Sabisky, who once suggested enforcing the uptake of contraception to stop unplanned pregnancies “creating a permanent underclass”.
Writing on twitter this evening, Mr Sabisky wrote: "The media hysteria about my old stuff online is mad but I wanted to help HMG not be a distraction. Accordingly I've decided to resign as a contractor. I hope no.10 hires more ppl w/ good geopolitical forecasting track records & that media learn to stop selective quoting.
"I know this will disappoint a lot of ppl but I signed up to do real work, not be in the middle of a giant character assassination: if I can't do the work properly there's no point, & I have a lot of other things to do w/ my life."
The Standard has contacted Number 10 for comment.
Earlier in the day, Labour said Number 10’s refusal to condemn the remarks was “disgusting”, while Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Government must “demonstrate some basic but fundamental values”.
Mr Sabisky also reportedly once suggested that the benefits of a purported cognitive enhancer, which can prove fatal, are “probably worth a dead kid once a year”.
Writing on Mr Cummings’ website in 2014, he said: “One way to get around the problems of unplanned pregnancies creating a permanent underclass would be to legally enforce universal uptake of long-term contraception at the onset of puberty.
“Vaccination laws give it a precedent, I would argue.”
He also suggested that black Americans have a lower average IQ than white Americans.
Downing Street repeatedly refused to say whether Mr Johnson supported the views expressed by Mr Sabisky on eugenics – the selective breeding of humans – or the IQ of black people.
A Number 10 spokesman said: “I’m not going to be commenting on individual appointments.”
Tory MP for Hazel Grove William Wragg earlier tweeted: “Andrew Sabisky’s presence in no.10 is a poor reflection on the Govt and there is no way to defend it.
“He needs to go. ‘Weirdos’ and ‘misfits’ are all very well, but please can they not gratuitously cause offence.
“I cannot be the only one uncomfortable with recent no.10 trends.”
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