Reid in row as firm wins contract

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Mar 15, 2009 | by ALEX MARUNCHAK

EX-Northern Ireland Secretary Dr. John Reid is at the centre of a row after it emerged the world's largest security firm had won a multi million euro contract for supplying guards to British military sites - just weeks after taking him on as a consultant.

Dr Reid, who was also the UK's defence secretary when Tony Blair was Prime Minister, resigned from the British Cabinet in June 2007 but still sits as a Westminster MP.

He was hired by security firm G4S three months ago at a salary of pounds 50,000 a year to provide "strategic advice".

Last week G4S - formed from a merger between Securicor and Group 4 Security - won a contract to supply private security guards for 200 Ministry of Defence and military sites across Britain and Northern Ireland.

Last night opposition MPs at Westminster hit out at Dr Reid's earnings and described them as "totally inappropriate".

But a G4S spokesman denied Dr Reid had played any part in the company winning the MoD contract.