Louise Haigh was victim of 'coordinated briefing by someone trying to get rid of her', claims former Labour official
30 November 2024, 07:46
Richard Power Sayeed on Louise Haigh's resignation
Louise Haigh was likely to have been the victim of a "coordinated briefing" by a "political opponent", a former Labour official has said after she quit as Transport Secretary.
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Richard Power Sayeed said following Louise Haigh's resignation over a spent conviction related to a missing phone that "it looks like someone... is trying to get rid of her."
Ms Haigh, 37, quit because of a years-old conviction related to misleading police about a mobile phone that she initially reported stolen in 2013 but turned out not to be.
The incident is thought to have been disclosed in full to Keir Starmer's office when she joined the shadow cabinet.
She made waves in October after branding P&O's owners "rogue operators" for their employment practices - remarks that Downing Street distanced themselves from, with the company threatening to withdraw a billion-pound investment.
Mr Power Sayeed told LBC's Oli Dugmore that he thought "there has been some sort of coordinated briefing by... probably her political opponents".
He added: "So it looks like... someone who doesn't like her politically, somebody who thinks that her policy of public ownership for the railways is too left wing, or something like that, is trying to get rid of her.
"And so she was forced into this".
The government has not commented further on Ms Haigh's resignation. Accepting her resignation on Friday, Starmer thanked Ms Haigh for her work and told her: "I know you still have a huge contribution to make in the future."
Ms Haigh told Starmer in a letter that she remained "totally committed" to the government's agenda, but that it would be "best served by my supporting you from outside Government."
Ms Haigh earlier admitted that she pleaded guilty to making a false report after she incorrectly told police that a work mobile phone was stolen in 2013.
Ms Haigh had reported to police that the device was stolen when she was mugged in 2013.
In a statement, she said she discovered "some time later" that the phone had not been taken.
Ms Haigh received a discharge - "the lowest possible outcome" - for her crime.
Ms Haigh was a special constable in the Metropolitan Police from 2009-11.
She said in her letter to Starmer: "I should have immediately informed my employer and not doing so straight away was a mistake.
"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."
Ms Haigh has been Sheffield Heeley MP since 2015, and held a number of shadow ministerial and shadow cabinet roles before becoming Transport Secretary.
Ms Haigh added in her letter to Starmer: "I will always be grateful for the support you have shown me, and I take great pride in what we achieved since the election.
"Just today, our Bill bringing the railways back into public ownership received Royal Assent and became an Act of Parliament. This is a once in a generation reform to our railways which will change our country for the better. A commitment made by leaders of our Party for decades, finally delivered.
"I am proud that we have also taken the first steps to putting buses back in the hands of passengers and local people, work which will be completed by the Buses Bill when it is laid next month.
Watch Again: Lewis Goodall speaks to Transport Secretary Louise Haigh | 17/11/24
"My appointment to your Cabinet as the youngest ever woman remains one of the proudest achievements of my life, but not as proud as the steps we took to improve the lives of the British people."
The chairman of the Conservative Party said earlier that the PM had "serious questions" to answer about the matter.
"These are extremely concerning revelations about the person responsible for managing £30 billion of taxpayers' money," Nigel Huddleston said.
"Keir Starmer has serious questions to answer regarding what he knew and when about the person he appointed as Transport Secretary admitting to having misled the police."
Heidi Alexander was named as the new Transport Secretary after Ms Haigh's resignation.
Ms Alexander, the MP for Swindon South, was previously a junior justice minister after returning to the Commons in July. She had earlier worked under Sadiq Khan as deputy London mayor for transport for three years.
Ms Alexander, 49, was previously the Labour MP for Lewisham East from 2010-2018. She served as the Shadow Health Secretary under Jeremy Corbyn before quitting after the EU referendum in 2016.
