Commons launches probe into Jeremy Corbyn aide over security breach claims
2 min read
The House of Commons has launched an official investigation into claims a top aide to Jeremy Corbyn broke parliamentary security rules.
On Wednesday it emerged that Iram Awan, the private secretary of the Labour leader, has been working in the Palace of Westminster without security clearance despite being appointed more than nine months ago.
She has been accessing the estate on a visitor pass and is met at the entrance by other Labour staff who escort her to her office on a regular basis, HuffPost UK revealed.
A Commons spokesperson said: “Visitor passes are for visitors only; they cannot be used to carry out work on the parliamentary estate.
“An investigation into an alleged breach of Parliamentary rules has been launched and so we will not be commenting further.”
A spokesman for the Labour leader said: “We don’t comment on staffing matters”.
But a Labour source told HuffPost UK: “We have not been told that any member of staff has been refused a pass or any reasons for why any pass may not have yet been granted.”
Elsewhere, the Financial Times revealed another aide to the Labour leader, Andrew Murray, has also been accessing parliament to work there on a visitor pass.
According to the Times a Commons probe was also launched into the former Communist who founded the Stop the War campaign and has been working for Mr Corbyn on a part-time basis since February.
Labour said no reason had been given as to why the passes had not yet been granted.
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