Transport Secretary Louise Haigh admits pleading guilty to making false police report

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has admitted she pleaded guilty after she incorrectly told police that a work mobile phone was stolen in 2013.

Ms Haigh admitted an offence in 2014 following the incident, according to Sky News and the Times.

She had reported to police that the device had been stolen when she was "mugged" in 2013.

In a statement, the transport secretary said she discovered "some time later" that the phone had not been taken and that she had made a "genuine mistake", from which she "did not make any gain".

She added that magistrates gave her the "lowest possible outcome".

Ms Haigh, in her statement said: "In 2013 I was mugged while on a night out. I was a young woman and the experience was terrifying.

"I reported it to the police and gave them a list of what I believed had been taken, including a work mobile phone that had been issued by my employer.

"Some time later I discovered that the mobile in question had not been taken. In the interim I had been issued with another work phone.

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“The original work device being switched on triggered police attention and I was asked to come in for questioning. My solicitor advised me not to comment during that interview and I regret following that advice.

“The police referred the matter to the CPS and I appeared before Southwark magistrates. Under the advice of my solicitor I pleaded guilty – despite the fact this was a genuine mistake from which I did not make any gain.

“The magistrates accepted all of these arguments and gave me the lowest possible outcome available (a discharge).”

Ms Haigh has been Sheffield Heeley MP since 2015, and held a number of shadow ministerial and shadow cabinet roles before becoming transport secretary when Labour won the general election in July.

It is understood that it was a fraud offence and the incident was disclosed in full to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer when she joined the shadow cabinet. The conviction is now spent.

The chair of the Conservative Party said the prime minister has “serious questions” to answer about the matter.

Nigel Huddleston said in a statement: “These are extremely concerning revelations about the person responsible for managing £30 billion of taxpayers’ money.

“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.”

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