Secretary of state for transport resigns

This morning (29th November 2024), the government announced the resignation of secretary of state for transport the Rt Hon Louise Haigh MP by releasing her letter to the prime minister, dated the day prior.

In her letter she details the reasons for her resignation. After being mugged in 2013, she incorrectly reported her work phone as stolen, later finding it at her house. She writes: “I should have immediately informed my employer and not doing so straight away was a mistake.”

She speaks of her greatest achievements as Secretary of State for transport as the youngest ever woman, such as her Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill receiving Royal Assent, alongside her Buses Bill, to be completed next month.

She writes: “I am sorry to leave under these circumstances, but I take pride in what we have done. I will continue to fight every day for the people of Sheffield Heeley who I was first and foremost elected to represent and to ensure that the rest of our programme is delivered in full.”

Prime minister Keir Starmer’s response from 10 Downing Street thanks her in return: “Thank you for all you have done to deliver this government’s ambitious transport agenda. You have made huge strides to take our rail system back into public ownership through the creation of Great British Railways, investing £1 billion in our vital bus services and lowering cost for motorists.”

Later this morning, the King approved the appointment of Heidi Alexander MP as the new secretary of state for transport.