Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has corrected the record after falsely claiming to have been a solicitor in the House of Commons.
Speaking in the chamber this evening, Reynolds said: "It has come to my attention that in a speech I made on April 28, 2014, recorded in column 614 of Hansard on the subject of high speed rail, I made a reference to my experience of using our local transport system in Greater Manchester when I worked as a solicitor in Manchester City Centre.
"I should have made clear that that was a reference at the time to being a trainee solicitor.
"This was an inadvertent error - and though this speech was over a decade ago, as it has been brought to my attention, I would like to formally correct the record."
On multiple occasions, Reynolds described himself as a solicitor - including on his LinkedIn page, in the Commons and on an old constituency website.
However, he had actually worked as a trainee at a law firm, and was never fully qualified as a solicitor.
Labour sources had previously suggested the reference to him being a solicitor on his LinkedIn profile was "human error" - and said Reynolds did not manage the profile.
After correcting the record, Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick called on Reynolds to resign in a fiery social media attack.
"Reynolds should apologise for the many other instances, over 10 years, where he lied about his qualifications. As a Director of Public Prosecutions, Starmer knows Reynolds broke the law," Jenrick said.
"Unless Starmer sacks him, it’ll be another case of two-tier justice under Two-Tier Keir."
That followed an address late last month in which Reform UK leader Nigel Farage had threatened to bring a private prosecution to Reynolds's door.
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"I can confirm that there will be a private prosecution against Jonathan Reynolds for breaking the law," he told attendees at the party's Cornwall conference.
"If Starmer doesn’t act, we will," he added, and laid into the Labour minister for "never having a proper job".
The Business Secretary then issued an apology the next day.
Speaking to the Mail in New Delhi, Reynolds said he did not think the claims had been a "huge deal" - but wished to apologise if anyone had "misunderstood".
"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."
"I do not believe anyone has thought I am advertising or selling or conducting myself as a qualified solicitor secretly for the last 15 years," he said.
And in a jab at Robert Jenrick, who had filed a series of complaints about Reynolds to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, he said: "I think these kind of personal attacks are about trying to distract the Government."
Reynolds is understood to have apologised to Sir Keir Starmer days before the apology, with the Prime Minister accepting his Business Secretary's regrets.
GB News has approached the Labour Party for comment following Robert Jenrick's comments.
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Speaking in the chamber this evening, Reynolds said: "It has come to my attention that in a speech I made on April 28, 2014, recorded in column 614 of Hansard on the subject of high speed rail, I made a reference to my experience of using our local transport system in Greater Manchester when I worked as a solicitor in Manchester City Centre.
"I should have made clear that that was a reference at the time to being a trainee solicitor.
"This was an inadvertent error - and though this speech was over a decade ago, as it has been brought to my attention, I would like to formally correct the record."
On multiple occasions, Reynolds described himself as a solicitor - including on his LinkedIn page, in the Commons and on an old constituency website.
However, he had actually worked as a trainee at a law firm, and was never fully qualified as a solicitor.
Labour sources had previously suggested the reference to him being a solicitor on his LinkedIn profile was "human error" - and said Reynolds did not manage the profile.
After correcting the record, Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick called on Reynolds to resign in a fiery social media attack.
"Reynolds should apologise for the many other instances, over 10 years, where he lied about his qualifications. As a Director of Public Prosecutions, Starmer knows Reynolds broke the law," Jenrick said.
"Unless Starmer sacks him, it’ll be another case of two-tier justice under Two-Tier Keir."
That followed an address late last month in which Reform UK leader Nigel Farage had threatened to bring a private prosecution to Reynolds's door.
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"I can confirm that there will be a private prosecution against Jonathan Reynolds for breaking the law," he told attendees at the party's Cornwall conference.
"If Starmer doesn’t act, we will," he added, and laid into the Labour minister for "never having a proper job".
The Business Secretary then issued an apology the next day.
Speaking to the Mail in New Delhi, Reynolds said he did not think the claims had been a "huge deal" - but wished to apologise if anyone had "misunderstood".
"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."
"I do not believe anyone has thought I am advertising or selling or conducting myself as a qualified solicitor secretly for the last 15 years," he said.
And in a jab at Robert Jenrick, who had filed a series of complaints about Reynolds to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, he said: "I think these kind of personal attacks are about trying to distract the Government."
Reynolds is understood to have apologised to Sir Keir Starmer days before the apology, with the Prime Minister accepting his Business Secretary's regrets.
GB News has approached the Labour Party for comment following Robert Jenrick's comments.
Find Out More...