Louise Haigh resignation: PM and union chief lead tributes to Transport Secretary after decade-old conviction exposed

Figures from across Labour have paid tribute to Louise Haigh following her resignation as Transport Secretary after news emerged she had a past conviction over a phone she had wrongly reported to the police as stolen.

Haigh had admitted the conviction – reportedly spent – yesterday, seemingly in response to unnamed sources revealing it to Sky News.

She said in her resignation statement on Friday morning she took “great pride” in Labour’s achievements so far  and being the youngest ever women in cabinet, but “whatever the facts of the matter, this issue will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government”.

The Prime Minister said in a letter in response that she still had a “huge contribution to make in the future”, prompting speculation she could yet return to the government benches. He praised her work making “huge strides to take our rail system back into public ownership”.

The story has conspicuously come to light less than two months after two reportedly senior government figures suggested The Sun that her future as transport secretary could be at risk over the row she sparked over P&O Ferries.

The government’s major investment summit was partly overshadowed by reports the operator’s owner could pull out and drop investment plans over Haigh’s support for a boycott of the company, before it confirmed it would still attend.

Haigh was widely seen as one of the more left-wing members of the cabinet, prompting some on social media to speculate about potential “dirty tricks”.

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The minister said in her resignation statement that she remained “totally committed to our political project”, and would continue to fight to “ensure that the rest of our programme is delivered in full”.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of train drivers’ union Aslef, said: “Louise Haigh is a dedicated public servant who, unlike her predecessors as Secretary of State for Transport, is determined to do her best for passengers, for staff, and for our railways.”

Commenting after her first statement but shortly before her resignation, he added: “Those who sneer from the sidelines about Lou, and about this Labour government, are doing our country down.”

Haigh said in her first statement to Sky News she was mugged on a night out on 2013, and reported that items including a work phone were stolen. But she said she realised “some time later” the phone had not been taken.

“The original work device being switched on triggered police attention and I was asked to come in for questioning. 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.”

Sky News reports the conviction is spent. Gov.uk explains this means that “where a conviction has become spent, the individual is treated as rehabilitated in respect of that offence and is not obliged to declare it for most purposes, for example, when applying for most jobs or insurance, some educational courses and housing applications.

“Someone with a spent conviction shall be treated for all purposes in law as a person who has not been convicted of the offence which was the subject of that conviction.”

Haigh continued: “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. The magistrates accepted all of these arguments and gave me the lowest possible outcome available.

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“I was a young woman and the experience was terrifying.”

Former MP Gloria de Piero wrote on X: “A young woman was mugged on a night out. She reported a phone stolen that later turned up. And now she is sorting our buses and trains out.”

Labour comms adviser Matthew Torbitt called it a “total non-story”, and questioned whether people should be “punished forever for mistakes” when convictions are spent.

Laura Parker, another former senior Labour adviser on the left of the party, said: “Something doesn’t seem right: A 24-year old-woman is mugged, mistakenly thinks her phone is stolen & pleads guilty when she finds it wasn’t.

“A decade later she has to resign – even though her boss (who knows more about real crimes than most) knew…”

Toby Perkins, Labour MP for Chesterfield, said it was “very sad” to see Haigh step down as she was “doing a great job as Transport Secretary”.

He said: “I very much hope she will be back in the Cabinet in the future. She was doing a great job and will be a real loss.”

Executive director of Progressive Britain Adam Langleben said Haigh’s resignation was a “great shame”. “Lou has been one of the most energetic ministers and led by example from day one,” he added.

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