Louise Haigh quits as transport secretary over phone offence

Louise Haigh has stepped down from her role as transport secretary after admitting to a criminal charge concerning false information she provided to the police about a work mobile phone being stolen back in 2013.

In a message to Sir Keir Starmer, Haigh expressed her full dedication to their political goals but believed that she could contribute more effectively by backing him from outside the government.

Her resignation marks the first from the prime minister's Cabinet and follows her recent statement in which she confessed to the police that she had reported her phone stolen during a mugging, only to discover later that it hadn't actually been taken.

She claimed it was an "honest error," but mentioned that a lawyer had told her "not to say anything" during the police questioning. According to her, the police subsequently passed the case on to the Crown Prosecution Service.

She mentioned that she admitted to submitting a false report to the police at a magistrates' court six months prior to her election as an MP in 2015. As a result, she was given a discharge, which is the least severe consequence she could have faced.

Sources from Whitehall informed the BBC that the transport secretary announced her resignation upon being appointed to the shadow cabinet while the Labour Party was in opposition.

In her letter, Haigh expressed her understanding that, regardless of the specifics of the situation, it would "unavoidably become a distraction."

Haigh expressed that being named the "youngest ever" female member of the Cabinet is still one of her greatest accomplishments.

"I regret having to depart in this way, but I am proud of our achievements," she stated, mentioning that she would keep advocating for her constituents in Sheffield.

A discharge is a situation where a court determines that a person is guilty of an offense, but decides not to impose a penalty, as the crime is deemed to be quite minor.

Sir Keir expressed his appreciation for Haigh’s significant progress as transport secretary in returning the rail system to public ownership and thanked her for her efforts.

Haigh has represented Sheffield Heeley in Parliament since 2015 and has taken on various positions as a shadow minister and within the shadow cabinet. Following Labour's victory in the election in July, she was appointed as the Secretary of State for Transport.

During her short time in the position, she sparked controversy last month when Haigh referred to P&O Ferries as a "rogue operator" and called for a boycott of the company.

Sir Keir stated that Haigh's remarks did not reflect the government's perspective, while DP World, the parent company of P&O, had previously indicated that it might not participate in an important government investment summit.

On Thursday, The Times and Sky News broke the news that Haigh confessed to the crime back in 2014.

At the time of the incident, she was employed by the insurance firm Aviva, as stated in reports.

In a reply, Haigh shared, “Back in 2013, I was attacked while out one night. I was a young woman at the time, and it was a frightening ordeal.”

I notified the police and provided them with a list of items I thought were stolen, which included a work-issued mobile phone from my job.

A little while later, I found out that the phone I was worried about hadn't actually been stolen. In the meantime, I had received a different work phone.

When the original device was turned on, it caught the police's attention, and I was requested to come in for an interview.

"My lawyer suggested that I remain silent during the interview, and I wish I hadn't taken that advice."

"The police passed the case on to the Crown Prosecution Service, and I went to court to see the magistrates."

She mentioned that, following her lawyer's guidance, she accepted responsibility even though it was truly an honest error that didn't benefit her in any way.

A representative from the Conservative Party commented: “Louise Haigh made the correct choice by stepping down. It's evident that she hasn't met the standards required of a Member of Parliament."