Business Standard

Monday, January 06, 2025 | 11:19 AM ISTEN Hindi

Notification Icon
userprofile IconSearch

UK transport minister Louise Haigh quits in new blow to PM Starmer

In her resignation letter shared by Starmer's office early on Friday, Haigh said she was standing down as the issue 'will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government'

Keir Starmer, Keir, Starmer, UK

Britain's Prime Minster Keir Starmer | (Photo: PTI)

Reuters LONDON

Listen to This Article

Britain's transport minister Louise Haigh has resigned after pleading guilty to an offence in connection with misleading police over a work mobile phone she said was stolen in 2013, in another blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. 
Haigh said in a letter to Starmer dated Thursday, Nov 28, that she had told police she had lost the device during a "terrifying" mugging on a night out in 2013, only to discover later that the phone was still at her home. 
In her resignation letter shared by Starmer's office early on Friday, Haigh said she was standing down as the issue "will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government and the policies to which we are committed". 
 
"I remain totally committed to our political project, but I now believe it will be best served by my supporting you from outside government," she said. 
Starmer thanked Haigh for her work and for all she had done "to deliver this government's ambitious transport agenda". 
Haigh is the first cabinet minister to resign from Starmer's government, which has seen its approval ratings plunge since taking power in July. Ministers have been criticised over the use of donations for clothing and gifts and for ramping up taxes on businesses and the wealthy in the government's first budget. 
Haigh said the incident with the phone was a "genuine mistake" from which she "did not make any gain". 

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
 

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Nov 29 2024 | 2:01 PM IST

Explore News