False Claims

Last month, UK political news was dominated by two high profile cases where politicians allegedly lied on their CVs. In the due diligence sphere, these are key discrepancies that would have been highlighted during public record research. Due diligence on senior hires helps protect against these embarrassing, risky and potentially costly errors. 

Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds was accused of falsely claiming that he was a solicitor before being elected as an MP, despite only being a trainee. He previously described himself as a solicitor, including on his LinkedIn profile, on a constituency website, and in the House of Commons. The Business Secretary also stated in a 2014 debate that he ‘worked as a solicitor in Manchester city center’. Reynolds has not appeared on the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) online register. Checks at the SRA would have been a routine part of the due diligence process for an individual claiming this employment history. In fact, it was reported on 13 February 2025 that Jonathan Reynold’s suggested the UK had too many regulators, as he called for the UK Competition and Markets Authority to be ‘more agile’. 

In addition, the BBC revealed that Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves’ LinkedIn exaggerated the length of time she worked at the Bank of England. In November 2024 Reeves claimed she spent a decade at the Bank of England, whereas she only listed a six-year period at her LinkedIn. It was reported that she and colleagues were investigated over expenses claims while she was a senior manager at Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) in the late 2000s. Reeves’ spokesperson said the LinkedIn inaccuracy was an administrative error by her team, that she had no knowledge of the investigation, and left HBOS on good terms. 

Due Diligence on Senior Hires

Due diligence on senior hires ensures that a candidate’s claimed qualifications, experience, and achievements are accurate. This helps prevent hiring individuals who have misrepresented their background. Conducting background checks, verifying employment history, education and professional licenses are vital standard practices as part of the due diligence process. Without this, a company could be exposed to significant risks, which could ultimately threaten the success of a company or organisation.

To find out how Garancie Limited can support your due diligence needs contact us at info@garancie.com.