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An MP who claimed unpaid jobs lock the poor out of politics is recruiting two ‘volunteers’ to help run his office.

Lib Dem Tom Brake has been branded a “hypocrite” after offering to pay the pair nothing but travel and lunch expenses.

Mr Brake has repeatedly spoken up for far pay - and the Lib Dems have pledged a “genuine living wage” across government.

Yet his office in Carshalton, Surrey, is advertising for both a volunteer caseworker and a volunteer campaigns assistant.

The caseworker will go through security checks and induction before logging confidential records, writing to needy constituents, and liaising with the government and council, the ad says.

The ads do not mention any cap on the number of hours per week, described as “flexible”, and do not say if the jobs are temporary.

Mr Brake's office stressed the roles had "no set hours" and were "purely voluntary", adding they "in no way detract" from Lib Dem policy.

(Image: AFP)

But an MP’s researcher, who alerted the Mirror to the ads on the w4mp website, said: “He’s a hypocrite”.

The employee added: “It’s very concerning - I’ve never seen any party expect someone to do case work for free.

“An MP’s caseworker job is quite demanding and requires experience and emotional resilience to help people in desperate situations. It’s a level of responsibility which deserves at least the living wage.

“If politicians aren’t committed to paying their staff a decent wage, what hope do we have for businesses?”

Asked to respond to the case, Citizens UK Director Neil Jameson warned: “There is a question over unpaid internships being only for the elite who can afford to work unpaid or whose parents can finance them.

“Clearly this would impact on ambitions to achieve a much more diverse representation in the House of Commons.

“There is also increasing concern about the use of unpaid interns to carry out the regular work of employees. In these cases unpaid interns may actually be workers and therefore entitled to be paid.”

Mr Brake has been an MP for 20 years.

He warned in 2011 that studies showed unpaid internships “are making politics only accessible to the wealthy or those based in London.”

In 2015 he declared himself “astonished” by Tory plans to give under-25s a lower minimum wage than over-25s.

He added: “Why do our young people not deserve the same support... What encouragement is that for those who really want to ‘work hard and get on in life’?”

And just a few months ago, the Lib Dem election manifesto pledged to strengthen employment rights and pay a genuine living wage across central government.

Mr Brake also sits on the House of Commons Commission - which has pushed through “better reward structures” for Parliamentary staff such as caterers.

It comes as Tory peer and Paralympian Chris Holmes introduces a Private Member’s Bill to ban unpaid internships lasting four weeks or more.

(Image: Getty/International Paralympic Committee)

A survey of almost 5,000 people by the Social Mobility Commission today found 72% would back such a change in the law - with 42% “strongly” in support.

The Mirror asked Mr Brake how long the placements would last and whether offering them was hypocritical.

The MP’s office manager replied in a statement: “All political parties rely on a mix of volunteers and professional staff.

"These roles are purely voluntary and do not involve any set hours or responsibilities.

“Providing opportunities for volunteers in no way detracts from a Lib Dem commitment to strengthening employment rights and introducing a genuine living wage.”