Louise Haigh has resigned as transport secretary, making her the first cabinet minister to leave Keir Starmer’s government.
The Labour MP admitted she pleaded guilty to an offence connected with incorrectly telling police that a work mobile phone was stolen in 2013.
In a statement on Thursday night, Haigh said she discovered “some time later” that the phone had not been taken.
In her resignation letter this morning, she described it as a “mistake” but said that “whatever the facts of the matter, this issue will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government”.
She wrote: “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.”
She added: “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.”
In response, prime minister Keir Starmer thanked Haigh for “all you have done to deliver this government’s ambitious transport agenda”.
He added: “You have made huge strides to take our rail system back into public ownership through the creation of Great British Railways, investing £1bn in our vital bus services and lowering cost for motorists.
“I know you still have a huge contribution to make in the future.”
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Louise Haigh has done the right thing in resigning. It is clear she has failed to behave to the standards expected of an MP.
“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.”
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