Security alert as Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick ‘abandons’ top secret briefcase on train

A SENIOR Cabinet minister left his top secret briefcase unattended on a public train, Trending In The News can reveal.

Witnesses say that borders chief Robert Jenrick left the red box for at least four minutes — a flagrant breach of strict security rules.

The minister, recently banned from driving for multiple speeding offences, did not deny briefly leaving the sensitive papers.

Insiders reckoned the box was “close by” at all times but could not deny it left his sight.

Mr Jenrick, the immigration minister, was on an LNER train to his constituency in Newark, Notts, on Friday morning.

Pictures show the box on a chair in a first class carriage.

A family travelling from Peterborough to York for a day out spotted Mr Jenrick on the train.

The dad said: “He was sat in first class with us.

“He walked off in the direction of the toilet and didn’t take it (the box) with him. I couldn’t believe it so we took pictures.

“He was gone for about four minutes. He came back, picked up the case and headed for the exit — we didn’t see him again.

“He one hundred per cent left it — it’s an important document case, we were baffled.

“There were around ten others in the carriage with us.”

Mr Jenrick faces claims he broke the ministerial code.

A spokesman said: “Mr Jenrick was working on the train throughout the journey, with his ministerial box close by at all times.

“He sat in the seat directly to the left of this misleading photo and he left the train with his locked ministerial box.”

In 2013 then Prime Minister David Cameron was accused of leaving his red box alone on a train on the same line.

No10 insisted Mr Cameron’s security detail were keeping an eye on the box but passengers said he was travelling alone.