The Attorney General in Britain has sacked a cleaner after allegations that she was in the UK illegally.
But Baroness Scotland insisted that she had believed the woman — identified as Loloahi Tapui — was entitled to work in Britain and said she had never knowingly employed an illegal immigrant.
The Daily Mailreported that Ms Tapui (27) from Tonga, had been looking after Lady Scotland's family home in west London for the past six months.
According to the paper, Ms Tapui has been living in Britain illegally for five years after overstaying a student visa.
The revelation will be an embarrassment to Lady Scotland, who attends the Cabinet as the Government’s most senior law officer and is responsible for all court litigation.
In a statement, Lady Scotland’s office announced that Ms Tapui had been dismissed after details of her immigration status became known.
“Baroness Scotland has never knowingly employed an illegal immigrant,” said the statement, released last night.
“She hired Ms Tapui in good faith and saw documents which led her to believe that Ms Tapui was entitled to work in this country.
“Ms Tapui lives locally and is understood to be married to a British national. Prior to being hired by Baroness Scotland she was in registered employment. She is registered for tax and insurance.
“Baroness Scotland has paid tax and national insurance in relation to her employment.
“At no stage prior to the matter being raised today did Baroness Scotland believe there was any question over Ms Tapui’s entitlement to work. Ms Tapui has now been dismissed with immediate effect.”
Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said: “This is a Government that says all small employers should be prosecuted if they don’t know the immigration status of their employees and yet we have senior ministers who can’t be bothered to make the checks themselves.
“There is a real ‘one rule for them, one rule for us’ attitude at the heart of this Government and it is a disgrace.”
Agencies