Raab guard suspended for leaving gun on jet

A POLICE protection officer who was travelling with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been suspended from duties after leaving his gun on a plane.

The officer had been travelling with Mr Raab on a visit to the US when he left his gun on a plane at London’s Heathrow Airport last Friday. The gun was reportedly found by a cleaner.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the force was aware of the incident on a flight into the UK on Friday, and was taking the matter “extremely seriously”.

The spokesman added: “The officer involved has since been removed from operational duties whilst an internal investigation into the circumstances is taking place.”

In a similar incident in February, former Prime Minister David Cameron’s bodyguard left his gun in a plane toilet. Passports belonging to Mr Cameron and the officer were also reportedly found with the weapon. The gun, believed to be a 9mm Glock 17 pistol, was found by a passenger, who handed it to flight attendants on a transatlantic flight.

Mr Raab visited Washington last week to speak with senior figures including US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the issues of Brexit and Northern Ireland.

He said he had “very positive discussions” with Republicans and Democrats, after senior US politicians warned they will not support any free trade pact with the UK if Britain fails to uphold its commitments to Northern Ireland as part of Brexit.