Louise Haigh ally says ‘she’ll be back’ as tributes paid but No. 10 grilled by media

Figures from across Labour have paid tribute to Louise Haigh’s record as Transport Secretary following her resignation, after news emerged she had a past conviction over a “mistake” in which she wrongly told the police a phone was stolen.

Haigh had admitted the spent conviction 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 acknowledged her “mistake”.

She added: “Whatever the facts of the matter, this issue will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government”.

READ MORE: Who is the new Transport Secretary?

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”.

One source close to Haigh highlighted her track record of radical reforms on rail and buses, and said while her resignation was a “real shame”, they predicted: “I think she’ll be back.”

They said insufficient attention had been paid to the fact she was only in her early 20s when the incident happened, and that it was a “genuine mistake” after she had just been mugged. They also said Haigh had been working “hand in glove” with both the Prime Minister and Chancellor recently, with the PM “fully aware” of the details and “supportive” when he promoted her several times.

PM grilled to explain dismissal if he knew of conviction already

But other observers claimed Starmer’s response letter to Haigh was far shorter and less effusive than some past letters to departing figures have tended to be.

Downing Street faced repeated tough questions at today’s lobby journalist briefing about the nature of what Haigh had done, and why exactly she had been sacked if the Prime Minister had already been aware of her conviction – or why she was appointed in the first place.

One journalist asked about Starmer’s past comments that politicians can’t be “lawmaker and lawbreaker”.

But a spokesperson repeatedly referred back to the Prime Minister’s letter  – as well as  the ministerial code – and continually repeated the line Starmer had accepted her resignation following “further information emerging”. But they declined to say more.

Questions over who tipped off the media and why now

The story appears to have come from unidentified individuals tipping off Sky News about what happened. The Mirror‘s Kevin Maguire posted on X that Haigh was “doing a great job and was the unofficial leader of the Left in the Cabinet. That’s why opponents wanted to take down ‘Red Lou’.”

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.

Praise for Haigh from across the movement

Former MP Gloria de Piero wrote on X after the incident emerged but before Haigh’s resignation: “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.”

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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.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of train drivers’ union Aslef, said: “We are sorry to see Louise Haigh leave her role. As Transport Secretary she has continuously delivered for public transport, making life better for the travelling public and for transport workers.

“Louise has always been on the side of working people and has used her position – and her politics – to stand up for what matters for trade unionists and their families.”

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

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”.

What Haigh said happened

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.”

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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.

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

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