Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has issued a half-hearted apology after being accused of “fabricating” his CV by claiming to be a solicitor.
Reynolds, who never qualified as a solicitor, used social media posts and an appearance in the House of Commons to highlight his supposed experience as a solicitor in Manchester.
However, Reynolds is now facing a probe from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
The SRA is conducting two inquiries into Reynolds’s description of himself as a fully qualified solicitor on LinkedIn, his personal website and in Parliament.
Speaking to The Daily Mail in New Dehli, Reynolds said he did not think the claims had been a “huge deal” but wished to apologise if anyone had “misunderstood”.
He added: “For a speech – and I think a tweet or maybe a Facebook post over a decade ago – I don’t think it’s a huge deal, but I should apologise for that, if anyone has misunderstood that, but I don’t think they have.”
However, Reynolds’s remarks come shortly after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage vowed to launch a private investigation into the Business Secretary.
Addressing supporters in Cornwall last night, Farage said: “Jonathan Reynolds, who’s never had a proper job in his life, who tells us he’s a solicitor when he’s never been qualified, which is a criminal offence.
“I can tell you tonight that there will be a private prosecution brought against Jonathan Reynolds.”
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Energy price cap rises for third time in a row as Britons face increase higher than experts expected
Ofgem’s energy price cap has risen higher than expectedGETTY
Ofgem has confirmed that the energy price cap will rise by 6.4 per cent on April 1, from £1,738 to £1,849 for the average household in England, Wales and Scotland.
This comes as a cost of living blow to millions of families as analysts had previously estimated the price cap to increase by around five per cent with energy bills now expected to be more expensive.
Last week, Cornwall Insights projected the typical annual household energy bill will rise by about £85 to £1,823 but Ofgem’s announcement came in noticeably higher.
This hike is primarily due to an increase in gas prices across Europe, resulting from a dropin the amount of gas that is held in storage across the continent.
Farage viewed as the most favourable political leader as Reform UK leader sees five-point boost in new poll
Nigel Farage is favourably viewed by more people than any other political leader in Britain, according to a new poll.
The Reform UK leader now sees his favourability sit at 31 per cent – higher than any of his party leader counterparts, including Sir Keir Starmer, who has slid in the polls to the point where just 21 per cent of Britons see him in a positive light.
The new data by pollsters at Ipsos also reveals that his party has experienced the biggest positive swing since last month of 4 per cent, and sits ahead of both Labour and the Conservatives.
But it is not all positive reading for Reform – the party still sits at third place on the “net favourability” rankings at -14 per cent, behind both the Greens and Lib Dems on -5 and -12 respectively.
Disgraced ‘sucker-punch’ MP Mike Amesbury to receive FULL SALARY behind bars
PICTURED: Mike Amesbury arrives at Chester Magistrates’ CourtPA
The suspended Labour MP who was jailed for 10 weeks after being convicted of “sucker-punching” a constituent will continue to receive full pay while in prison.
Mike Amesbury, 55, who represents voters in Runcorn & Helsby, will pocket his £91,346 taxpayer-funded salary despite his criminal conviction as he is technically still a serving MP.
However, voters will have the opportunity to end Amesbury’s stint as the local MP if 10 per cent of constituents sign an imminent recall petition.