Seema Malhotra accuses Corbyn aide over office entry

A former shadow Cabinet minister has accused aides to Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell of violating her security by making an “unauthorised” entry into her office.

Seema Malhotra has demanded Commons officials launch an investigation after accusing the leader’s staff of effectively breaking into her office and claimed her own researchers had suffered “harassment”.

Malhotra, who resigned as shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury last month, has written to John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, saying the entry undermined the “privacy, security and confidentiality” of her office.

Last night a spokesman for Corbyn and McDonnell said the member of staff had merely been checking whether Malhotra had moved out of her office and denied any improper behaviour.

Malhotra, a former management consultant, was appointed as the deputy to McDonnell, shadow Chancellor, McDonnell last year but was one of several shadow Cabinet ministers to resign last month in the internal row following the EU referendum.

This weekend Malhotra accused staff attached to the leadership of breaking a series of Commons rules.

“I have discovered that members of staff working for John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn have gained unauthorised entry into my office in parliament,” Malhotra told The Observer.

“The implications of this are extremely serious. This is a breach of parliamentary privilege and is a violation of the privacy, security and confidentiality of a member of parliament’s office.

“Furthermore, my staff, including an intern, who have always been courteous and open, have felt harassed, intimidated and insecure and decided themselves it would be best to not leave anyone alone in the office.

“I have made a formal complaint to the Speaker of the Commons and to Jeremy Corbyn MP, and requested an investigation into how this could have happened.”

The office in question is believed to be part of the suite allocated to the leader of the Opposition, the shadow Chancellor and the shadow Chief Secretary, as well as their staff.

MPs who resign from these positions are expected to leave relatively promptly – but they are entitled to hold on until Commons officials and party whips have arranged for a new base for them and their staff on the parliamentary estate.

Today a spokesman for Corbyn said it was “untrue” to suggest Karie Murphy, his office manager, had behaved in an intimidating manner. Murphy had been trying to discover if Malhotra was moving out of the office, he told the BBC.

“The accusation that Karie intimidated anyone is untrue. As an office manager on the Leader of the Opposition’s floor Karie has a key to open all offices. She accessed the office in question to confirm when it would be vacated.

“It is a month since Seema Malhotra resigned as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, and the office is intended for the person holding that position.”

11am update – John McDonnell has responded to the row by telling the BBC that Corbyn’s opponents should not “pick on staff who can’t defend themselves”.