Alexander handed transport brief after Haigh resigns

Heidi Alexander has been appointed the new transport secretary following yesterday’s surprise resignation of Louise Haigh.

- MILLIE COOKE

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.