Louise Haigh quits UK government as transport secretary over stolen phone ‘mistake’

Louise Haigh resigned as U.K. transport secretary after Sky News reported she had been convicted of falsely telling police her work mobile phone had been stolen in 2013.

Haigh sent a letter of resignation to Prime Minister Keir Starmer overnight, saying reports about her historic criminal conviction “will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government and the policies to which we are both committed.” Haigh said she was “sorry to leave under these circumstances, but I take pride in what we have done.”

In his reply, the prime minister thanked Haigh for her time in government, and left the door open for her to return: “I know you still have a huge contribution to make in the future.”

The episode is a blow to Starmer, who has promised to restore trust in politics. He will be hoping that Haigh’s swift and dramatic exit will demonstrate to the public that Britain’s recently elected Labour government is serious about raising standards in public life.

But the opposition Conservative Party has seized on the episode to attack Starmer. “Louise Haigh has done the right thing in resigning. It is clear she has failed to behave to the standards expected of an MP,” said a Conservative Party spokesperson in a statement.

“In her resignation letter, she states that Keir Starmer was already aware of the fraud conviction, which raises questions as to why the Prime Minister appointed Ms Haigh to Cabinet with responsibility for a £30bn budget? The onus is now on Keir Starmer to explain this obvious failure of judgement to the British public,” the Tory spokesperson said.

Haigh was in her mid-20s and working as a public policy manager at insurance company Aviva when she told police she’d had her belongings stolen, including her work mobile. She was given a new device.

Haigh said she “triggered police attention” when she discovered the original phone — in a drawer at home, according to one person familiar with the matter — and turned it on. “I should have immediately informed my employer and not doing so straight away was a mistake,” Haigh said in her resignation letter.

Haigh said her solicitor had advised her not to comment during an interview “and I regret following that advice.” She pleaded guilty at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court and was given the “lowest possible outcome,” a discharge.

Tim Ross and Zoya Sheftalovich contributed reporting.