Alexander handed transport brief after Haigh resigns
The Independent|November 30, 2024
Heidi Alexander has been appointed the new transport secretary following yesterday’s surprise resignation of Louise Haigh.
MILLIE COOKE
Alexander handed transport brief after Haigh resigns

Ms Haigh became the first minister to quit Sir Keir Starmer’s government after admitting she had been convicted for making a false report to police over a mobile phone being stolen 10 years ago.

Yesterday, Downing Street declined to clarify whether the prime minister knew about Ms Haigh’s criminal conviction when he appointed her to the role and said new information had come to light that led to her resignation.

Ms Alexander, who has been the MP for Swindon South since July’s general election, has been handed the role after previously serving as a justice minister.

From 2010 to 2018, she was the MP for Lewisham East, during which time she served as the shadow health secretary under Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership. Between 2018 and 2021, she worked as London mayor Sadiq Khan’s deputy transport mayor.

Her predecessor’s resignation drew questions about Sir Keir’s judgement after it emerged on Thursday night that he had appointed Ms Haigh to his shadow cabinet in 2020, even though it was claimed she had disclosed the offence to him.

An ally of Ms Haigh confirmed Sir Keir knew “all the facts” around her conviction when he appointed her to his shadow cabinet. At the time, the Labour leader was described as “extremely empathetic” to Ms Haigh.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 30, 2024 من The Independent.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 30, 2024 من The Independent.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

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