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She said she pleaded guilty to making a false report to police at a magistrates’ court six months before becoming an MP in the 2015 election, and received a discharge – the “lowest possible outcome”.<\/p>\n
Whitehall sources told the BBC that the transport secretary declared her discharge on appointment to the shadow cabinet when the Labour Party was in opposition.<\/p>\n
In her letter, Haigh said that she appreciated “whatever the facts of the matter” that the issue would “inevitably be a distraction”.<\/p>\n
Haigh said that her appointment as the \u201cyoungest ever\u201d female Cabinet member \u201cremains one of the proudest achievements of my life\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am sorry to leave under these circumstances, but I take pride in what we have done,” she said, adding that she would continue to work for her constituents in Sheffield.<\/p>\n
A discharge is a type of conviction where a court finds the person guilty but does not give them a sentence because the offence is considered very minor.<\/p>\n
Sir Keir said Haigh had made \u201chuge strides\u201d as transport secretary to take the rail system back into public ownership, and thanked her for her work.<\/p>\n
Haigh has been the MP for Sheffield Heeley since 2015 and held a number of shadow ministerial and shadow cabinet roles before becoming transport secretary when Labour won the election in July.<\/p>\n
Her brief tenure included a row last month after Haigh described P&O Ferries as a “rogue operator” and urged people to boycott the company.<\/p>\n
Sir Keir said Haigh’s comments were “not the view of the government”, while P&O’s parent company DP World initially suggested it would not attend a flagship government investment summit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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‘Genuine mistake’<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Times and Sky News first reported on Thursday that Haigh had admitted the offence in 2014. <\/p>\n
She was working for insurance company Aviva at the time of the incident, according to reports.<\/p>\n
In a statement in response, Haigh said: \u201cIn 2013 I was mugged while on a night out. I was a young woman and the experience was terrifying.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome time later I discovered that the mobile in question had not been taken. In the interim I had been issued with another work phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe original work device being switched on triggered police attention and I was asked to come in for questioning.<\/p>\n
“My solicitor advised me not to comment during that interview and I regret following that advice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe police referred the matter to the CPS and I appeared before magistrates’ court.”<\/p>\n
She added that under the advice of a solicitor, she pleaded guilty “despite the fact this was a genuine mistake from which I did not make any gain”.<\/p>\n
A Conservative Party spokesman said: \u201cLouise Haigh has done the right thing in resigning. It is clear she has failed to behave to the standards expected of an MP”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Louise](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/240\/cpsprodpb\/d3d6\/live\/2aade9e0-ae1d-11ef-a82d-699a0328dc9f.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/span>Reuters<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n