UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh Resigns Over Past Fraud Conviction

Haigh steps down after a decade-old conviction resurfaces, prompting questions about ethics and transparency in Keir Starmer’s government.

Louise Haigh resigned as transport secretary following the revelation of a 2014 fraud conviction related to wrongly reporting a work phone as stolen.
Haigh stated she did not disclose the conviction during her cabinet appointment as it was a spent offense and not required under disclosure rules.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s knowledge of the conviction remains unclear, with conflicting reports about whether he was informed when Haigh joined his shadow cabinet in 2020.
Haigh’s resignation has drawn mixed reactions, with critics questioning Starmer’s judgment and supporters highlighting perceived double standards in how similar cases are handled.
Heidi Alexander, a former deputy mayor of London for transport, has been appointed as Haigh’s replacement to continue Labour’s transport agenda, including rail nationalization.