What We All Knew?

Acting not a proper job, say passport office

An actor has been left outraged after passport office staff told him that he did not have "a proper job".

Michael Sheldon countersigned a passport application for his daughter's boyfriend, but the request was rejected due to him being deemed an unsuitable referee.

An investigation was launched when Malcolm Sinclair, president of the actor's union Equity, wrote to Home Secretary Theresa May about the incident.

In The Stage magazine, he described the snub as "staggering and something I felt I had to challenge", adding that it had caused "dismay, even outrage" amongst Equity members.

"Unless we are told otherwise, we must take it that the views of a clerk in the passport office represent those of the Government," he said.

"If it is the Government's opinion that 'acting is not a proper job' then I think they should come out with it."

A spokesman for the Identity and Passport Service confirmed: "We will be investigating and looking at whether further staff training is required.

"We provide a list of occupations solely as a guide to assist customers. The occupation of the counter-signatory is not a determining factor in considering a passport application."

The passport was also rejected due to an unsuitable photograph, according to The AP.