A SENIOR judge has stepped down from hearing further licensing appeals brought by Uber after links between her husband’s work and the gig economy employer were uncovered.

District judge Emma Arbuthnot, the chief magistrate of England and Wales, granted Uber a probationary 15-month licence to operate in London in June, ruling that the company was “fit and proper” to hold a licence.

She was due to hear a similar appeal brought by Uber in Brighton but has now withdrawn from the case after an investigation by the Observer raised questions about a perceived conflict of interest.

Ms Arbuthnot’s husband, former Tory MP Lord Arbuthnot, was until December a director of SC Strategy Ltd, a private intelligence company founded by the former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation Lord Carlile and former head of MI6 John Scarlett.

The Observer reported that one of SC Strategy’s few known clients has been the Qatar Investment Authority, which is said to have been one of the main investors in a 2014 $1.2 billion (£940 million) financing round for Uber.

Mr Arbuthnot stood down as a director at the end of 2017, but his parliamentary register of interest reveals he is still a senior consultant providing strategic advice to SC Strategy and counts arms company Babcock International among his personal clients.

GMB national officer Mick Rix said: “GMB is surprised by the suggested connection between magistrate Arbuthnot’s husband and Uber.

“Any matter which may be perceived as a conflict of interest is required to be drawn to the attention of the parties involved in any litigation at the outset.”