POLITICAL parties have called on Stalybridge and Hyde MP Jonathan Reynolds to be removed from his ministerial position and face an investigation over ‘lies’ on his CV.
The Labour Business Secretary is at the centre of a row over his claimed credentials as a solicitor before he was elected.
It has emerged that despite previously saying he worked as a solicitor at a law firm in Manchester before becoming an MP, he had quit his legal training to run for Parliament in 2010 and never qualified.
Mr Reynolds’ camp said this was an “administrative error” that has been corrected.
An updated social media profile now says was a “trainee solicitor” at Addleshaw Goddard law firm between August 2009 and May 2010.
But that has not stopped both the Conservatives and Reform UK from calling for action.
In a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the latter’s five MPs – Nigel Farage, Richard Tice, Lee Anderson, Rupert Lower ad James McMurdock – make their feelings clear. He should be sacked.
They say: “Mr Reynolds has not only lied about his career on his CV, but has broken the law by saying he was a solicitor when he had not qualified.
“Perhaps more worryingly, Mr. Reynolds spoke in a debate on the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill on the 28th April 2014.
“In that speech on the floor of the House of Commons chamber, he said, ‘Before the last election, I worked as a solicitor in Manchester city centre.’ This is undisputed evidence that he has not only broken the law, but has also misled Parliament.
“According to the Solicitors Act 1974, it is a criminal offence for someone to call themselves a solicitor or use any title implying they are a solicitor if they are not actually registered on the roll of solicitors – this is what Mr Reynolds has done on his Linkedln page, which he has since amended, and inferred on other social media channels.
“The public are already starting to lose trust in you and your government, so we urge you to do the right thing, remove the Secretary of State from his position and urge him to refer himself to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and apologise to the public.”
Mr Reynolds’ shadow, Conservative MP Andrew Griffith, also wants action to be taken.
Writing to Sir Laurie Magnus, independent adviser on ministers’ interests, he said, calling for an investigation into potential breaches of the ministerial code: “By repeatedly referring to himself as a solicitor on his website, online CV (LinkedIn), and social media, as well as in conversations with high-profile businesspeople such as Luke Johnson, the Secretary of State appears to have knowingly mislead the public in a manner not compatible with the Ministerial Code and the standards rightly expected of those in high public office.”
Labour Party sources say the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) contacted Mr Reynolds in January related to an error on his LinkedIn profile, which he corrected immediately.
It is thought to have been satisfied it was corrected and acknowledged he does not manage the profile.
And an SRA spokesperson said: “We are aware of this issue: however, having considered all factors involved, there is no need for us to take any action.”