TRANSPORT Secretary Louise Haigh has quit after admitting to being a convicted fraudster over her stolen phone claim.
The Labour minister, 37, previously said she was mugged during a “terrifying” night out in 2013 and gave police a list of items missing from her handbag.
She included in that list her work mobile phone, but discovered “some time later” it had not actually been stolen.
At the time, Haigh worked as a public policy manager for insurance firm Aviva.
Haigh said she regrets the mistake and that she pleaded guilty to an offence in connection with misleading the police.
This morning the Transport Secretary announced her resignation in a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
She wrote: “I should have immediately informed my employer and not doing so straight away was a mistake.
“I appreciate that whatever the facts of the matter, this issue will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government and the policies to which we are both committed.
“I am sorry to leave under these circumstances, but I take pride in what we have done.”
In a reply, the Prime Minister wrote: “Thank you for all you have done to deliver this Government’s ambitious transport agenda.
“You have made huge strides to take our rail system back into public ownership through the creation of Great British Railways, investing £1 billion in our vital bus services and lowering cost for motorists.
“I know you still have a huge contribution to make in the future.”
The Guardian reports Haigh was given a conditional discharge for fraud by misrepresentation.
She said she was called in to speak to police when the work phone was switched on.
Dear Prime Minister,
As you know, in 2013 I was mugged in London. As a 24-year-old woman, the experience was terrifying.
In the immediate aftermath, I reported the incident to the police.
I gave the police a list of my possessions that I believed had been stolen, including my work phone.
Some time later, I discovered that the handset in question was still in my house.
I should have immediately informed my employer and not doing so straight away was a mistake.
I appreciate that whatever the facts of the matter, this issue will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government and the policies to which we are both committed.
I will always be grateful for the support you have shown me, and I take great pride in what we achieved since the election.
Just today, our Bill bringing the railways back into public ownership received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament.
This is a once in a generation reform to our railways which will change our country for the better.
A commitment made by leaders of our Party for decades, finally delivered.
I am proud that we have also taken the first steps to putting buses back in the hands of passengers and local people, work which will be completed by the Buses Bill when it is laid next month.
My appointment to your Cabinet as the youngest ever woman remains one of the proudest achievements of my life, but not as proud as the steps we took to improve the lives of the British people.
I remain totally committed to our political project, but I now believe it will be best served by my supporting you from outside Government.
I am sorry to leave under these circumstances, but I take pride in what we have done.
I will continue to fight every day for the people of Sheffield Heeley who I was first and foremost elected to represent and to ensure that the rest of our programme is delivered in full.
Yours faithfully,
Louise
In a statement she said: “My solicitor advised me not to comment during that interview and I regret following that advice.
“The police referred the matter to the CPS and I appeared before Southwark magistrates.
“Under the advice of my solicitor I pleaded guilty – despite the fact this was a genuine mistake from which I did not make any gain.”
Sky News cites sources saying that Haigh made the false report to benefit personally and get a newer phone from the company.
Two sources claimed she then lost her job over the incident.
Haigh, at the time, worked as a public policy manager at insurance company Aviva.
She worked at the company between 2012 and 2015, after which she was elected MP for Sheffield Heeley.
Haigh appeared at Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court six months before the 2015 general election where she was elected to parliament.
In her statement, Haigh claimed the Court gave her the lowest possible outcome available, a discharge.
Her conviction is now considered “spent”.
She declared the conviction to Sir Keir Starmer in 2020 after he appointed her Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary.
Tory Chairman Nigel Huddleston slammed the Prime Minsiter for appointing a convicted fraudster to his Cabinet.
He said: “These are extremely concerning revelations about the person responsible for managing £30bn of taxpayers’ money.
“Keir Starmer has serious questions to answer regarding what he knew and when about the person he appointed as Transport Secretary admitting to having misled the police.”
A spokeswoman for Aviva said it was not commenting.
