Corbyn probed over Commons aide who hasn’t passed security checks
Palestine activist breaking House rules by using visitor’s pass
JEREMY Corbyn was facing an investigation last night after it emerged his private secretary has not passed security checks needed to work in his Parliamentary office.
In what appears a clear breach of Commons rules, Iram Awan has worked for the Labour leader for the past nine months – despite not being granted a full pass.
Instead, the pro-Palestinian activist is apparently coming into Parliament every day as a visitor before being escorted to Mr Corbyn’s office by Labour staffers.
Working on the estate on a visitor pass is strictly forbidden under House of Commons regulations.
In a further twist, it also emerged yesterday that Andrew Murray, one of Mr Corbyn’s closest advisors and a former Communist, has also still not had his pass approved – despite applying more than a year ago. Every Parliament staffer needs a Commons pass and is required to pass a counter-terrorist check (CTC) into their background and associates.
It normally takes a matter of weeks at most to process.
However, Miss Awan has not yet had her application approved by the authorities despite taking up the role with the Labour leader more than nine months ago.
It is not known why it has taken so long, but it is not thought to be connected to anyone she is associated with.
The British-born activist, whose role includes providing ‘strategic advice’ to Mr Corbyn, has previously posted a series of pro-Palestinian tweets. She appeared to support a protest at a Barclays branch in over the banking giant’s holdings in Elbit, Israel’s largest military company. Commons authorities are now investigating whether Parliamentary rules have been broken by Mr Corbyn’s office in allowing Miss Awan to work in Parliament.
Tory MPs have also written to the Serjeant-at-Arms, who is responsible for order and security in the Commons, to demand he also investigates the affair.
Tory Party chairman Brandon Lewis said last night: ‘This clear breach of security not only puts Parliament at risk, it also raises serious questions about Jeremy Corbyn’s judgment and integrity.’
Tory MP Leo Docherty added: ‘We all know how the security of Parliament is a matter of the utmost importance and Jeremy Corbyn has put this at risk.’
Commons authorities were facing questions last night about the apparent breach of basic security rules. Security at Parliament is supposed to have been stepped up since the 2017 Westminster terror attack, but passholders can still escort anyone on to the estate as a visitor.
According to reports in the Huffington Post, Miss Awan is being escorted into Parliament every day by Labour staffers after queuing up to enter as a visitor.
Mr Corbyn is said to be aware she does not have the required security clearance. Mr Murray, one of the Labour leader’s closest advisWales ers, is said to have applied for a pass more than a year ago and is believed to have worked part-time since February. A former co-chairman of the Stop the War Coalition alongside Mr Corbyn, he is chief of staff at the trade union Unite.
It is understood Mr Murray’s links to communism may have been raised as an issue which could be delaying the process.
Yesterday, a spokesman for the Commons authorities said: ‘An investigation into an alleged breach of Parliamentary rules has been launched and so we will not be commenting further.’
A Parliamentary spokesman said: ‘Visitor passes are for visitors only; they cannot be used to carry out work on the Parliamentary estate.’ The spokesman added: ‘Anyone carrying out work on the estate must have been through the vetting process and hold a Parliamentary pass. Anyone working on the estate on a visitor pass would be in breach of this rule.’ Applicants are asked to provide information about themselves, family members and other associates, which may be checked against data held by MI5 and third party references. It is not uncommon for the process to take up to a year.
Mr Corbyn had a run-in with the Commons authorities in 1987 after Ronan Bennett, who worked as a temporary research assistant, had his pass suspended.
The novelist was convicted of murdering a policeman in 1975, but the verdict was later overturned. Mr Corbyn, a backbench MP at the time, accused the security services in October 1987 of ‘smearing’ his assistant’s character.
A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said last night: ‘We don’t comment on staffing matters.’
A Labour source added: ‘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.’
‘Puts Parliament at risk’