Louise Haigh resigns as transport secretary after admitting to offence over phone claim
IndependentDec 07, 2024
Haigh, who was 24 at the time, claimed she mistakenly reported her work phone stolen during a mugging incident, later discovering it at home, and received a conditional discharge from magistrates for the offense.UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has resigned after revelations emerged about her 2014 conviction for making a false police report regarding a stolen work phone while employed at Aviva in 2013.
The conviction was disclosed to Prime Minister Keir Starmer when Haigh joined the shadow cabinet in 2020, raising questions about his judgment in subsequently appointing her to oversee a £30 billion transport budget.Haigh, who was 24 at the time, claimed she mistakenly reported her work phone stolen during a mugging incident, later discovering it at home, and received a conditional discharge from magistrates for the offense.
As Transport Secretary, Haigh had achieved significant policy reforms, including advancing rail nationalization through Great British Railways and securing £1 billion for bus services.In her resignation letter, Haigh stated that "whatever the facts of the matter, this issue will inevitably be a distraction," and while "totally committed to [Starmer's] political project" this would be "best served" outside of Government.
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Starmer’s judgment is under scrutiny after Haigh’s resignation. Despite knowing about her conviction when appointing her, Starmer allowed her to hold a critical cabinet role until public exposure forced her to step down. This raises questions about his leadership and commitment to transparency. If a conviction is disqualifying now, why wasn’t it before? Starmer’s inconsistency undermines trust in his administration, suggesting political convenience outweighs accountability in his decision-making.