No considerations raised with me about my bills

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has mentioned no considerations had been raised together with her about her bills throughout her time working at Halifax Financial institution of Scotland.

A NUZTO Information investigation discovered that whereas at HBOS, Reeves was topic to an in depth whistleblowing criticism which raised considerations about her use of firm cash.

Reeves mentioned she “submitted and had her bills signed off within the correct approach”.

Nevertheless, the NUZTO has seen paperwork which present considerations about spending habits within the division Reeves labored in had been raised together with her.

A spokesman for the chancellor beforehand mentioned she had no information of the investigation, all the time complied with bills guidelines and left the financial institution on good phrases.

Requested what her understanding of the investigation was, Reeves instructed the NUZTO: “Nobody ever raised any considerations about my bills after I labored for Halifax Financial institution of Scotland.

“I submitted and had my bills signed off within the correct approach, as you’ll anticipate.”

Pressed over why a few of her former colleagues had been conscious of an investigation, the chancellor mentioned: “I do not know what they’re saying and naturally none of them have gone on the report.

“However I used to be by no means questioned, by no means requested to pay again any bills.”

Reeves mentioned she was “actually pleased with the work that I did earlier than I grew to become an MP” however added: “Ultimately, individuals are going to guage me on the job that I am doing now as chancellor of the exchequer to develop the economic system and put more cash within the pockets of working individuals.”

A Fb group for former HBOS staff included a number of joking about Reeves’s bills spending and the very fact she was investigated.

Within the late 2000s earlier than getting into politics, Reeves labored at HBOS as a senior supervisor.

The NUZTO has learnt that in her time on the financial institution considerations had been raised about Reeves, and two different managers, utilizing the financial institution’s cash to “fund a life-style”.

The considerations raised about Reeves’s spending included a £400 leaving meal for a colleague, a £49 purse for her PA and £152 spent on one other bag, together with some fragrance as a gift for her boss in a joint reward with one other supervisor.

One of many different staff investigated was Reeves’s supervisor and the one that signed off her bills.

The financial institution’s inner audit division carried out the preliminary investigation and located there was proof bills guidelines appeared to have been damaged, a senior supply mentioned.

The NUZTO has not been capable of set up what the ultimate consequence of the investigation was, or whether or not it reached a conclusion.

In late 2008, a memo was circulated to Reeves and others calling for tighter value controls.

It particularly raised considerations about “spending on journey” and on company spending playing cards, together with Motivation playing cards which had been used to reward workers.

The proposals it laid out for enhancing value controls included month-to-month discussions with Reeves and one other supervisor to have a look at “claims, invoices, Thanks card use and experiences”. That different supervisor was additionally a kind of subsequently investigated over their use of bills.

Individually, Reeves was emailed in mid-December 2008 by an HBOS worker who urged they need to give a presentation to lift consciousness of how a lot was being spent on taxis and on Motivation playing cards.

Reeves replied to say that she was unsure a “enormous evaluation” was wanted and he or she wished to see the papers earlier than they went any additional.

The NUZTO investigation has additionally raised questions concerning the accuracy of Reeves’s on-line CV on LinkedIn.

After she was accused of embellishing it final 12 months, her profile was then modified to explain her position at HBOS to “retail banking”, reasonably than “economist” because it had mentioned beforehand.

The NUZTO has now established that she exaggerated her time on the Financial institution of England and left 9 months sooner than she had claimed on LinkedIn.

Reeves was on the Financial institution of England for 5 and a half years, however almost a 12 months of that was spent learning for a Masters on the London Faculty of Economics.

As just lately as final 12 months, she mentioned she had spent “the very best a part of a decade as an economist on the Financial institution of England”.

A spokeswoman for Reeves mentioned the dates on her CV had been inaccurate because of an administrative error by a member of the crew and that Reeves had not seen it earlier than it had been revealed.

Talking on Friday, Conservative chief Kemi Badenoch mentioned Reeves had “some very, very severe inquiries to reply”.

“Keir Starmer mentioned he was bringing in a authorities of integrity.

“Telling lies and untruths in your CV, bills fraud which is what the allegations are, are very severe issues. And I do suppose [Reeves] wants to return out and clarify what’s going on.”

The NUZTO investigation pertains to potential breaches of HBOS bills guidelines, not fraud.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer backed his chancellor, saying she had “handled any points that come up” from “a few years in the past”.

She has additionally been defended by Science Secretary Peter Kyle, who insisted she will “completely” be trusted.

He claimed the NUZTO’s reporting had been “inaccurate”, including: “The pinnacle of HR at that financial institution at the moment says it is unfaithful, mentioned that she by no means, ever obtained a file on Rachel Reeves.

“And she or he says that earlier than she left the financial institution, there was no investigation that handed her desk. And she or he’s additionally mentioned if there was one, it will have handed her desk.”

Nevertheless, the NUZTO’s reporting did embody quotes from Jane Wayper, who was an HR enterprise companion, not head of HR as Kyle described her.

Wayper had instructed the NUZTO she “would have been made conscious of any investigation which concluded there was a case to reply”.

The NUZTO has not reported that the investigation reached a conclusion, or that there was a disciplinary course of.