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UK transport secretary Louise Haigh has resigned after admitting that she had pleaded responsible to a prison offence over a lacking cell phone.
“Regardless of the details of the matter, this concern will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this authorities,” Haigh stated in a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
“I stay completely dedicated to our political venture, however I now imagine it will likely be finest served by my supporting you from exterior Authorities,” she stated within the letter.
Haigh had earlier stated she pleaded responsible a decade in the past to a minor prison offence regarding a cell phone she wrongly claimed had been stolen.
Haigh, who’s on the left of the Labour occasion, stated in an announcement on Thursday that she had instructed police she misplaced the machine throughout a “terrifying” mugging on an evening out in 2013 — solely to find later that it had not been taken in any case.
The 37-year-old MP stated that the wrong assertion had been a “real mistake”.
Acknowledging Haigh’s resolution to resign, Starmer stated she had helped to ship an bold transport agenda. “I do know you continue to have an enormous contribution to make sooner or later,” he stated.
The resignation follows a bruising month for the Labour authorities following final month’s Finances, which has been criticised by companies for the largest tax will increase in a technology.
Earlier than being elected — and on the time of her offence — Haigh labored as a public coverage supervisor for Aviva. She additionally volunteered as a particular constable within the Metropolitan Particular Constabulary from 2009 to 2011.
As transport secretary she was liable for every little thing from Excessive Pace 2 rail and the nationalisation of the railway system to coverage on electrical automobiles.
Haigh stated she meant to stay as an MP. She has represented Sheffield Heeley since 2015.
