Louise Haigh exits from No10 (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer must explain his "obvious failure of judgement" to Brits after it was revealed he knew about his former Transport Secretary's fraud conviction for years.
Louise Haigh this morning resigned as Transport Secretary after it emerged she pleaded guilty to a criminal offence related to incorrectly telling police that a work mobile phone was stolen in 2013.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Kemi Badenoch gives Sir Keir and ear-bashing in Rock 'n' Roll PMQs performance
62 Comments
'Lies!' Furious Express readers take aim at Keir Starmer as 27k back election calls
36 Comments
New polling shows Kemi Badenoch's path to power
94 Comments
Keir Starmer battered by new storm as petition exposes public anger over Labour 'lies'
59 Comments
Kemi Badenoch takes hilarious 3-word swipe at Angela Rayner in furious PMQs row
190 Comments
New EU-UK 'reset' European bureaucrat will get paid ￡35k more than the Prime Minister
374 Comments
Furious Labour civil war erupts over 'offensive' assisted dying row
97 Comments
POLL: Is Keir Starmer the worst Prime Minister Britain has ever had?
521 Comments
Why Keir Starmer won't get away with shrugging off General Election Now petition
607 Comments
POLL: Should MPs vote to legalise assisted dying on Friday?
53 Comments
Why Keir Starmer won't be worried about petition demanding General Election now
1305 Comments
The one reason Keir Starmer should be absolutely petrified as 2m sign that petition
1836 Comments
Keir Starmer is the class clown plunging Britain into sixth-form politics
42 Comments
Labour fractures over assisted dying Bill ahead of crunch vote as Cabinet splits deepen
73 Comments
Keir Starmer breaks silence on Louise Haigh resignation with strikingly brief reply
85 Comments
Louise Haigh resigns as Transport Secretary after 'misleading police' over stolen phone
535 Comments
5 times Louise Haigh called for Conservatives to resign
107 Comments
Keir Starmer's 'lack of leadership' puts assisted dying vote on a knife edge
102 Comments
How Keir Starmer has proven Labour Party will duck soaring immigration
25 Comments
I was in the room for Kemi Badenoch's first big Westminster speech as Tory leader
29 Comments
Kemi Badenoch gives Sir Keir and ear-bashing in Rock 'n' Roll PMQs performance
62 Comments
'Lies!' Furious Express readers take aim at Keir Starmer as 27k back election calls
36 Comments
New polling shows Kemi Badenoch's path to power
94 Comments
Keir Starmer battered by new storm as petition exposes public anger over Labour 'lies'
59 Comments
Kemi Badenoch takes hilarious 3-word swipe at Angela Rayner in furious PMQs row
190 Comments
New EU-UK 'reset' European bureaucrat will get paid ￡35k more than the Prime Minister
374 Comments
Furious Labour civil war erupts over 'offensive' assisted dying row
97 Comments
POLL: Is Keir Starmer the worst Prime Minister Britain has ever had?
521 Comments
Why Keir Starmer won't get away with shrugging off General Election Now petition
607 Comments
POLL: Should MPs vote to legalise assisted dying on Friday?
53 Comments
Why Keir Starmer won't be worried about petition demanding General Election now
1305 Comments
The one reason Keir Starmer should be absolutely petrified as 2m sign that petition
1836 Comments
Keir Starmer is the class clown plunging Britain into sixth-form politics
42 Comments
Labour fractures over assisted dying Bill ahead of crunch vote as Cabinet splits deepen
73 Comments
Keir Starmer breaks silence on Louise Haigh resignation with strikingly brief reply
85 Comments
Louise Haigh resigns as Transport Secretary after 'misleading police' over stolen phone
535 Comments
5 times Louise Haigh called for Conservatives to resign
107 Comments
Keir Starmer's 'lack of leadership' puts assisted dying vote on a knife edge
102 Comments
How Keir Starmer has proven Labour Party will duck soaring immigration
25 Comments
I was in the room for Kemi Badenoch's first big Westminster speech as Tory leader
29 Comments
Kemi Badenoch gives Sir Keir and ear-bashing in Rock 'n' Roll PMQs performance
62 Comments
'Lies!' Furious Express readers take aim at Keir Starmer as 27k back election calls
36 Comments
New polling shows Kemi Badenoch's path to power
94 Comments
Keir Starmer battered by new storm as petition exposes public anger over Labour 'lies'
59 Comments
Kemi Badenoch takes hilarious 3-word swipe at Angela Rayner in furious PMQs row
190 Comments
New EU-UK 'reset' European bureaucrat will get paid ￡35k more than the Prime Minister
374 Comments
Furious Labour civil war erupts over 'offensive' assisted dying row
97 Comments
It is understood the incident was disclosed to Sir Keir Starmer when she joined the shadow cabinet.
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.”
READ MORE: Starmer breaks silence on Louise Haigh resignation with strangely short reply
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Ms Haigh said she is “totally committed to our political project” but believes “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,” she wrote.
In a reply, Sir Keir thanked Ms Haigh for her work to deliver the Government’s transport agenda.
On Thursday evening, it was reported that Ms Haigh had admitted an offence in 2014 following the incident. She had reported to police the device was stolen when she was “mugged” in 2013.
Trending
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
It is understood that it was a fraud offence and that the conviction is now spent.
Ms Haigh said she discovered “some time later” that the phone had not been taken.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Kemi Badenoch gives Sir Keir and ear-bashing in Rock 'n' Roll PMQs performance
62 Comments
'Lies!' Furious Express readers take aim at Keir Starmer as 27k back election calls
36 Comments
New polling shows Kemi Badenoch's path to power
94 Comments
Keir Starmer battered by new storm as petition exposes public anger over Labour 'lies'
59 Comments
Kemi Badenoch takes hilarious 3-word swipe at Angela Rayner in furious PMQs row
190 Comments
New EU-UK 'reset' European bureaucrat will get paid ￡35k more than the Prime Minister
374 Comments
Furious Labour civil war erupts over 'offensive' assisted dying row
97 Comments
POLL: Is Keir Starmer the worst Prime Minister Britain has ever had?
521 Comments
Why Keir Starmer won't get away with shrugging off General Election Now petition
607 Comments
POLL: Should MPs vote to legalise assisted dying on Friday?
50 Comments
Why Keir Starmer won't be worried about petition demanding General Election now
1305 Comments
The one reason Keir Starmer should be absolutely petrified as 2m sign that petition
1836 Comments
Keir Starmer is the class clown plunging Britain into sixth-form politics
42 Comments
Labour fractures over assisted dying Bill ahead of crunch vote as Cabinet splits deepen
73 Comments
Keir Starmer breaks silence on Louise Haigh resignation with strikingly brief reply
87 Comments
Louise Haigh resigns as Transport Secretary after 'misleading police' over stolen phone
525 Comments
5 times Louise Haigh called for Conservatives to resign
108 Comments
Keir Starmer's 'lack of leadership' puts assisted dying vote on a knife edge
102 Comments
How Keir Starmer has proven Labour Party will duck soaring immigration
25 Comments
I was in the room for Kemi Badenoch's first big Westminster speech as Tory leader
29 Comments
Kemi Badenoch gives Sir Keir and ear-bashing in Rock 'n' Roll PMQs performance
62 Comments
'Lies!' Furious Express readers take aim at Keir Starmer as 27k back election calls
36 Comments
New polling shows Kemi Badenoch's path to power
94 Comments
Keir Starmer battered by new storm as petition exposes public anger over Labour 'lies'
59 Comments
Kemi Badenoch takes hilarious 3-word swipe at Angela Rayner in furious PMQs row
190 Comments
New EU-UK 'reset' European bureaucrat will get paid ￡35k more than the Prime Minister
374 Comments
Furious Labour civil war erupts over 'offensive' assisted dying row
97 Comments
POLL: Is Keir Starmer the worst Prime Minister Britain has ever had?
521 Comments
Why Keir Starmer won't get away with shrugging off General Election Now petition
607 Comments
POLL: Should MPs vote to legalise assisted dying on Friday?
50 Comments
Why Keir Starmer won't be worried about petition demanding General Election now
1305 Comments
The one reason Keir Starmer should be absolutely petrified as 2m sign that petition
1836 Comments
Keir Starmer is the class clown plunging Britain into sixth-form politics
42 Comments
Labour fractures over assisted dying Bill ahead of crunch vote as Cabinet splits deepen
73 Comments
Keir Starmer breaks silence on Louise Haigh resignation with strikingly brief reply
87 Comments
Louise Haigh resigns as Transport Secretary after 'misleading police' over stolen phone
525 Comments
5 times Louise Haigh called for Conservatives to resign
108 Comments
Keir Starmer's 'lack of leadership' puts assisted dying vote on a knife edge
102 Comments
How Keir Starmer has proven Labour Party will duck soaring immigration
25 Comments
I was in the room for Kemi Badenoch's first big Westminster speech as Tory leader
29 Comments
Kemi Badenoch gives Sir Keir and ear-bashing in Rock 'n' Roll PMQs performance
62 Comments
'Lies!' Furious Express readers take aim at Keir Starmer as 27k back election calls
36 Comments
New polling shows Kemi Badenoch's path to power
94 Comments
Keir Starmer battered by new storm as petition exposes public anger over Labour 'lies'
59 Comments
Kemi Badenoch takes hilarious 3-word swipe at Angela Rayner in furious PMQs row
190 Comments
New EU-UK 'reset' European bureaucrat will get paid ￡35k more than the Prime Minister
374 Comments
Furious Labour civil war erupts over 'offensive' assisted dying row
97 Comments
She said the matter was a “genuine mistake” from which she “did not make any gain”, and that magistrates gave her the “lowest possible outcome”.
Tory MPs have taken aim at the Labour government for its communication failures since coming into power in July.
New MP Ben Obese-Jecty MP joked: "I’m old enough to remember when the sacking of Sue Gray meant that the No.10 comms operation was going to improve under Morgan McSweeney."