TORY MP Ben Howlett was called out in the Commons yesterday for advertising a string of “exploitative” unpaid internships.

Mr Howlett, who led the Tories’ youth section before being elected Bath MP last May, was criticised for refusing to pay youngsters working in his Westminster and constituency offices.

Labour’s Chris Bryant hit out during a Commons clash with Tory minister Chris Grayling — who is expected to be axed in the next reshuffle because of his EU rebelliousness.

Mr Bryant said: “I for one am beginning to feel very sorry for him so I’ve been searching the job pages for him.

“Sadly the only thing that seemed vaguely suitable for him was working as an unpaid voluntary intern for the honourable member for Bath.”

The positions, which last for one month, require “excellent organisational and administration skills,” according to the adverts.

Successful candidates will undertake a “wide range of both parliamentary and constituency work” for the MP, who will see his pay soar to £74,000 a year on April 1.

A spokeswoman for Mr Howlett, who has voted for the restrictions on trade unions and against higher benefits for people made unemployed by illness or disability, said it was “more of a work experience programme.”

But TUC South West secretary Nigel Costley told the Star: “We’re disappointed Ben Howlett has advertised for an unpaid intern because we think MPs should be setting an example to other employers.

“Interns are being exploited through unpaid work.

“Employers have sought to take advantage of graduates’ desperation to find work in the economic downturn and so see interns as a useful source of free labour.

“We would have expected better from an MP.”