THOMAS COOK’S auditors will be investigated over their role in signing off the last set of accounts for the travel firm prior to its collapse.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC), which regulates the accounting sector, confirmed today that it would look at whether auditors EY acted properly in scrutinising the numbers in 2018.

Individual accountants or the financial services giant as a whole could be censured as a result of the probe, the FRC said.

The announcement follows a similar inquiry launched by Parliament’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy select committee, which has demanded the appearance of executives and auditors at a hearing.

MPs on the committee are particularly keen to look at the bonuses awarded to bosses as well as EY’s role as auditor.

Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom has also set up a Thomas Cook taskforce to ensure lessons are learned and to deal with the company’s liquidation.

But Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association general secretary Manuel Cortes demanded Ms Leadsom resign or be sacked, after she admitted she’d failed to meet Thomas Cook officials prior to the firm’s collapse.

He said: “This is an utter disgrace — what is the point of being Business Secretary if all you do when 9,000 jobs are on the line is sit on your hands?

“Leadsom must resign or be sacked with immediate effect.

“Anything else will be a clear signal to millions of British workers that this Tory government won’t lift a finger to help when there’s a threat to jobs.

“By her own admission she has treated Thomas Cook workers and their families with contempt and cannot remain in post a moment longer.”