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Sir Keir Starmer’s business secretary has been accused of fabricating his CV, after saying he was a solicitor despite never qualifying.
Jonathan Reynolds, who never finished his training contract because he quit to stand for parliament in 2010, claimed on his old constituency website that he worked as a solicitor at the Manchester branch of the law firm Addleshaw Goddard before becoming an MP.
In 2014, during a speech on a piece of transport legislation, he told the House of Commons he “worked as a solicitor in Manchester city centre”. His LinkedIn profile also previously stated he was both a “trainee solicitor” and “solicitor” with an overlap in dates. The profile has since been updated.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick claimed Mr Reynolds had “fabricated his CV” but Labour sources argued the website entry was a “human error from his office”.
“This is clearly an admin error, as you can’t be the former before being the latter, unless you have a time machine”, they said, adding that the LinkedIn profile was written by a member of his staff not Mr Reynolds himself.
Mr Reynolds has repeatedly referred to himself as a former trainee in public.
Asked about the controversy, Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson admitted there may have been “mistakes made by administrative staff”, telling Times Radio: “I’ve looked at his website, and it’s very clear that he’s talking about being a trainee solicitor.
“I think what you’re referring to in terms of LinkedIn… I think there was a bit of a muddle there. But I think he’s been very clear he was a trainee solicitor, that’s the position he held.”
Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, said: “There is a clear pattern here. A Labour Party misleading voters, a chancellor who lied about being an economist and now another minister who has lied about being a solicitor. Keir Starmer needs to get a grip on his party’s relationship with the truth.”
It comes amid growing questions over Rachel Reeves’ CV, following allegations the chancellor exaggerated her Bank of England experience, after a BBC investigation found she stopped working for the bank nine months earlier than stated on her LinkedIn profile.
There were also allegations she was investigated for using company expenses in a former job to buy handbags, perfume, earrings and wine for colleagues in her job at Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS). The claims have been disputed.
Sir Keir Starmer has backed Ms Reeves, and his official spokesperson said the prime minister has no concerns about her conduct.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Ms Reeves said she left HBOS in 2009 “on good terms”.
“Rachel is proud of the work she did at HBOS and the teams that she led. It is 16 years since she left the bank and the first time she was made aware of these claims was when approached by journalists,” they said.
“She was not aware of an investigation, nor was she interviewed, and she did not face any disciplinary action on this or any other matters. All expenses were submitted and signed off in the proper way.
“Several former colleagues from her time at the bank, including HBOS’s former HR business partner, have corroborated this account.”
The Department for Business and Trade has been contacted for comment.
