Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has admitted to pleading guilty to a criminal offence related to a false police report about a stolen mobile phone in 2013, before she became a Member of Parliament.
According to Haigh’s statement, the incident occurred during a night out when she believed she had been mugged. She reported to the police that several items, including a work mobile phone, had been stolen. However, she later discovered that the phone in question had not actually been taken.
When the original work device was switched on, it triggered police attention, and Haigh was asked to come in for questioning. Following her solicitor’s advice, she did not comment during the interview, a decision she now regrets. The police subsequently referred the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Haigh appeared before magistrates’ court and, on her solicitor’s advice, pleaded guilty to making a false report. She emphasized that this was a “genuine mistake” from which she did not gain any personal benefit. The magistrates accepted her explanation and issued the lowest possible legal outcome – a discharge.
A discharge is a type of sentence where an individual is found guilty but not subjected to significant punishment. Whitehall sources confirmed that Haigh declared this discharge when she was appointed to the shadow cabinet during the Labour Party’s time in opposition.
Notably, Haigh has a background in law enforcement, having served as a Special Constable with the Metropolitan Police until 2011. She has been the Sheffield Heeley MP since 2015 and held various shadow ministerial roles before becoming transport secretary after Labour’s election victory in July.
The revelation has prompted criticism from the Conservative Party. Nigel Huddleston, the party’s chair, stated that there are “serious questions” to be answered, particularly given that Haigh is now responsible for managing £30 billion in taxpayers’ money.
The BBC has requested clarification from the Department for Transport regarding the specific details of the offence and whether the discharge was conditional or unconditional.
Haigh’s statement portrays the incident as a misunderstanding stemming from a traumatic experience. She described being a “young woman” who was terrified after believing she had been mugged and subsequently made a mistake in her initial police report.
The incident raises questions about transparency and the potential implications for a senior government official, though Haigh maintains that it was an honest error made early in her professional career, long before her current political role.
The matter continues to develop, with political opponents calling for further explanation and potential consequences for the Transport Secretary.
