Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds should resign or be sacked over claims he lied about being a solicitor on his CV, the Tories and Reform have said.
Mr Reynolds claimed he worked as a solicitor for law firm Addleshaw Goddard before becoming an MP.
He also told the House of Commons in 2014 that he “worked as a solicitor in Manchester city centre” before switching careers.
But he did not qualify for the title because he did not complete his training contract, it has emerged.
Reform’s five MPs penned a letter to Keir Starmer while the Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffiths wrote a letter to the Prime Minister’s Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests Sir Magnus Laurie on Wednesday.
In the Tories’ letter, Mr Griffiths writes: “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 misled the public in a manner which is not compatible with the Ministerial Code and the standards rightly expected of those in high public office.”
He added: “I am therefore asking that you proactively initiate an investigation into this matter…”
Meanwhile, Reform’s MPs said they had “deep concern” over the issue and called on Sir Keir to “take immediate action to remove” Mr Reynolds.
It added: “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.”
Labour sources also say many of the entries have been written in “third person”, suggesting Mr Reynolds did not write it himself.
The Guido Fawkes political website claimed Mr Reynolds stated on his LinkedIn profile that he was a “solicitor” and a “trainee solicitor” between 2009 and 2010.
An archived version of Mr Reynolds’ website from 2013 stated: “Jonathan Reynolds was elected as the Member of Parliament for Stalybridge and Hyde at the 2010 General Election.
“Prior to this, he was an elected member of Tameside Council, representing the Longdendale ward, which is within the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency. He also worked as a solicitor in the Manchester office of law firm Addleshaw Goddard.”
His website stated that he was “offered a training contract to become a solicitor with Addleshaw Goddard LLP in Manchester”, describing it as a “fantastic place to work”.
