Labour MPs are facing new "cash for access" claims after handing Commons passes to union officials whose organisations bankrolled their election campaigns.

Eight MPs, including five frontbenchers, who collectively registered donations of more than £60,000 from individual unions to help fight the 2017 election have sponsored passes for representatives of the same unions.

But Commons rules state that the passes must only be used for individuals employed as a member of the MP's staff, to support their "parliamentary duties".

The passes allow the officials around-the-clock access to the Commons and Lords, including the houses' bars, restaurants and meeting rooms.

They can also bring guests onto the parliamentary estate. Sir Alistair Graham, the former chairman of the committee on standards in public life, and an ex trade union leader, said: "This looks like a fiddle and is unacceptable.

"When I was a trade union leader we had Frank Field as our parliamentary adviser, but he didn't issue any passes to the House of Commons.