Jeremy Corbyn has hired a hard-Left activist who has been convicted of fraud and false accounting to work in his parliamentary office.

Marsha-Jane Thompson was sentenced by a court to 100 hours of community service after she admitted to filling out and submitting multiple voter registration forms herself.

She went on to lead Momentum’s social media and campaign activity and became a key member of Mr Corbyn’s leadership campaign team.

When approached for comment about the controversial staff appointment, a spokesperson for Mr Corbyn said: “We do not comment on staff issues.”

Newham Council, Ms Thompson's employers at the time of the fraud, said she had “submitted electoral registration forms for more than 100 different addresses which appeared to contain discrepancies.”

After noticing these issues, the Council launched an investigation and Ms Thomson admitted to her crimes.

Marianne Wood, Newham Council’s chief internal auditor, said:“We take fraud extremely seriously and will not hesitate to prosecute anyone who defrauds the council.”

In 2006 Ms Thompson plead guilty to 19 specimen counts of using a false instrument, contrary to the 1981 Fraud and Counterfeiting Act, and one count of false accounting, contrary to the 1968 Theft Act. She was convicted as Marsha Thompson but has since changed her name.