Regulator aware of ‘further information’
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has reopened an investigation into Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds after reports surfaced that he described himself as a “solicitor” despite never qualifying.
Reynolds, who is the MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, trained at Addleshaw Goddard in Manchester for all of ten months before he left the role to pursue a career in politics. Under the Solicitors Act 1974, the term “solicitor” is legally protected and can only be used by those admitted to the roll of solicitors.
The issue first came to light after political blog Guido Fawkes shared screenshots showing Reynolds’ LinkedIn profile referring to him as a solicitor. While the references have since been removed, Reynolds has also been noted to have referred to himself as a solicitor in parliamentary debates.
Last week, the regulator announced it would take no further action against the MP. However, in a fresh update on Friday, it confirmed that the investigation has been reopened.
A spokesperson for the SRA said:
“We looked at that issue at the time we became aware of it and contacted Mr Reynolds about the profiles. The materials were corrected, and we closed the matter with no further action based on all the evidence we had at the time. However, we’ve now become aware of further information, so we will look at this.”
Previously, Reynolds’ spokesperson attributed the references to a mistake, stating that he has always sought to clarify that he was a trainee solicitor before entering politics.
The reopening of the investigation comes amid increasing scrutiny over the accuracy of CVs among politicians. Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently faced criticism over her online biography, which was edited to clarify her role at Halifax Bank of Scotland as being in retail banking rather than as an economist.