British Transport Minister Louise Haigh stepped down on Friday after a fraud conviction from over 10 years ago came to light. The conviction was related to a mistake she made in 2013 when she reported her work cellphone as stolen after being mugged.
She later found the phone and switched it back on, but this led to a police investigation. Haigh admitted to the mistake and pleaded guilty to fraud by misrepresentation, though she didn’t gain anything from the error. The court gave her a conditional discharge, which is the lightest penalty available.
In her resignation letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Haigh explained that she was committed to their shared goals but believed stepping down was the best way to avoid distracting from the government’s work. She expressed regret over the situation and acknowledged that, despite the mistake, it could distract from important political efforts.
Haigh, 37, has been a member of Parliament for Sheffield since 2015. She was appointed to the transport role after Starmer’s Labour party won the election in July.
