Business secretary accused of adding solicitor to his CV

But Labour say admin error is to blame for trainee omission

- MILLIE COOKE

Sir Keir Starmer’s business secretary has been accused of fabricating his CV, after saying he was a solicitor despite not having qualified.

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 had 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 had “worked as a solicitor in Manchester city centre”. His LinkedIn profile also previously stated he was both a “trainee solicitor” and a “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”.