Transport Secretary Louise Haigh resigns after Sky News revealed mobile phone guilty plea (news.sky.com)

submitted 1 day ago by Intergalactic@lemmy.world to c/unitedkingdom@feddit.uk

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[-] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago

In 2013, Haigh was 24-years-old and working as a public policy manager for the insurance company Aviva.

Following reports by Sky and The Times on Thursday, Haigh issued a statement, explaining she made a police report after a "terrifying" mugging in London.

She said she reported the phone as one of a number of items she believed had been stolen, and was issued with a new work phone.

Some time later, she discovered the handset was still in her house, and she switched it on, which "triggered police attention" and she was called in for questioning.

"My solicitor advised me not to comment during that interview and I regret following that advice," she said, and the matter was sent to magistrates.

Haigh 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".

I'm surprised she's resigning over something so minor tbh.

[-] Mex@feddit.uk 3 points 1 day ago

yeah I expect she was pushed

[-] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 1 points 1 day ago

It will be this revelation plus the fact that she bad mouthed a major investor in the UK whilst in opposition. When you're trying to encourage businesses to grow in the UK and they call out that one of your cabinet ministers is openly against you that's not great for the government.

[-] HumanPenguin@feddit.uk 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Given the actions of said investor.

When you’re trying to encourage businesses to grow in the UK

It is sorta invalid when the company is working to fire UK workers and rehire foreign ones with fewer rights and lower costs.

Curtailing to businesses without expecting them to work with the UK. It is directly responsible for the reduction in quality of life UK/world young face compared to elders. For the first time in recorded history.

[-] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 1 points 1 day ago

I don't disagree.

But from the company in questions perspective why wouldn't you turn around and say, "ok then this $1billion can go to Ireland or the Netherlands, see ya". The UK government isn't in a position to be shooing away business investment of that scale. That's what almost happened before the UK government had to make grovelling apologies to said company. Hiring foreign workers over UK workers sucks, but you can't ignore the huge investment that would benefit hundreds more.

These are the kinds of macro chess games governments have to play. And this former minister hasn't made it easy for them to play it.

[-] HumanPenguin@feddit.uk 1 points 1 day ago

huge investment that would benefit hundreds more.

Will it. It's a port. So employment opportunities long term are limited. Literally every job is likely to be replaced by engineering over a relatively short timespan. Jobs in ports are labour-intensive. So historically already many are replaced with machines. It is also the first jobs looked at with new tech. The few non-labour-intensive jobs are by nature AI suitable and already of huge interest to that community.

There is a reason, a company with a history of downsizing or reducing the cost of employment is interested in such investments. Other than it also expanding the profitability of its other operations.

As long as we as a nation allow the treat of other nations out bidding. It will always be a race to the bottom.

Honestly, I am older than most here. In my 50s. And have watched how children born after me are given way less opportunity to build a life than I was. Despite seeing the same reduction over my parents. While housing is a huge part of it. The general fall in wages vs living costs is also way worse. And it can be clearly seen as a choice by our governments pressured by companies like this.

At some point it is a requirement to say "NO". Trading or investing in our nation is about more then taking profit. Its about working with us as a nation as well.

[-] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 1 points 1 day ago

I won't comment on the quality of the jobs, I honestly don't know enough about what happens in a port (apart from what happens in a dock town stays in a dock town 😘). But it was / is a billion of investment. That's not chump change by any means. The UK can't be turning its nose up at investment because of morals and a sense of duty. We don't have the headroom to do so. We're massively in debt. That's just the reality.

I totally get what you're saying. But I still feel that a large part of this resignation storyline is because she rocked the boat.

[-] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 8 points 1 day ago

Meanwhile in America, it’s practically a requirement of office to be a convicted felon.

[-] atro_city@fedia.io 1 points 1 day ago

USA: the stitocracy

[-] fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 4 points 1 day ago

I must be missing something. What's actually the crime or scandal here?

Haigh: "Help, I've been mugged"
Police: "What did they take?"
Haigh: "I can't remember exactly what was in the bag, I guess my money, my bank cards, my keys, my work phone"
Police: "Ok"
Haigh: "Oh, wait a minute, my work phone was at home, they only threatened me, assaulted me and took the other stuff I mentioned"
Police: "Your list was wrong? Ha! Then it is YOU who is the criminal, not them!"
Government, ten years later: "Also, you're not allowed to fix our railways or have a job"
Tories: "Unlike all our politicians who merely do things like millions of £s of fraud, destroying the economy and endangering the lives of millions of people for their own personal profit - this horrific excuse for a human once put something in a list and then realised it shouldn't have been on the list, so a decade later, it's only correct that they shouldn't be allowed to have a job"

I assume I've missed something key here.

[-] Mex@feddit.uk 8 points 1 day ago

I think the issue was she didn't update the police when she found the phone at home.

[-] fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 1 points 1 day ago

That's what they're saying... but... so what? Did the police waste hours and millions hunting for a lost mobile phone? Did she receive an ill-gotten temporary replacement mobile phone from work for a few weeks? I'm still struggling to see the scandal or crime.

[-] Mex@feddit.uk 2 points 1 day ago

Louise Haigh quits as transport secretary over phone offence https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxy1kp73y9o

this post was submitted on 29 Nov 2024

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