Minister of Transport ‘admitted his guilt’ in work phone incident

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has admitted pleading guilty after mistakenly telling police that a mobile phone belonging to her workplace had been stolen in 2013.

Sky News and the Times newspaper reported on Thursday evening that Ms Haigh had pleaded guilty following the 2014 incident. He reported the device stolen to police in 2013 when he was “hacked”.

In a statement, Ms Haigh said she discovered “some time later” that the phone had not been received.

He said the matter was a “genuine mistake” and that he gained “nothing” from it, and that the judges gave him the “lowest possible outcome”.

The Minister of Transport said in his statement: “I was attacked while out one night in 2013. I was a young woman and this experience was horrific.

“I reported this to the police and gave them a list of items I believed had been taken, including a work mobile phone issued by my employer.

“After some time, I discovered that the mobile phone in question had not been taken. Meanwhile, I was given another work phone number.

“The opening of the original working device attracted the attention of the police and I was asked to come in for questioning. My attorney advised me not to comment during that interview, and I regret taking that advice.

“The police referred the matter to the CPS and I appeared before Southwark magistrates. On the advice of my lawyer, I pleaded guilty; However, it was a genuine mistake and I gained nothing from it.

“The judges accepted all of these arguments and gave me the lowest possible outcome (release).”

Ms Haigh has been MP for Sheffield Heeley since 2015 and held a series of shadow ministerial and shadow cabinet posts before becoming Transport Secretary when Labor won the election in July. He served as a special police officer before entering politics.

The incident, which turned out to be a crime of fraud, was explained in full detail to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer when he joined the shadow cabinet. Now the conviction is over.

The Conservative Party chairman said the Prime Minister had “serious questions” to answer on the issue.

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

“Keir Starmer has serious questions to answer about what he knew and when his appointee as Transport Minister admitted misleading the police.”