Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Starmer appoints Heidi Alexander as new transport secretary

Hours after Haigh’s resignation, Starmer named Alexander as her replacement. Alexander previously served as London’s deputy mayor for transport.

Alexander previously served as London’s deputy mayor for transport from 2018 to 2021. (Photo: X/@Heidi_Labour)
Alexander previously served as London’s deputy mayor for transport from 2018 to 2021. (Photo: X/@Heidi_Labour)

KEIR STARMER has appointed Heidi Alexander as the new transport secretary following the resignation of Louise Haigh, who admitted to a past offence related to misleading the police.

Haigh stepped down after revealing she had pled guilty a decade ago to a minor offence involving a mobile phone. The incident occurred in 2013, when she reported her phone stolen during a mugging, only to later find it at home.


In her resignation letter, Haigh stated her departure was necessary to avoid distracting from the government’s work and its policy commitments.

Hours after Haigh’s resignation, Starmer named Alexander as her replacement. Alexander previously served as London’s deputy mayor for transport from 2018 to 2021.

The swift appointment was seen as an effort to contain the fallout from Haigh’s exit, which comes as Labour grapples with declining approval ratings following controversial tax measures introduced after its July election win.

The Conservative Party responded by questioning Starmer’s decision to appoint Haigh, claiming he was aware of her prior conviction. A Conservative spokesperson stated: "The onus is now on Keir Starmer to explain this obvious failure of judgment to the British public."

Haigh, first elected in 2015 and a senior figure under both Starmer and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, described the 2013 incident as a "genuine mistake" from which she "did not make any gain."

During her time in the cabinet, Haigh, 37, was the youngest member and oversaw policies such as the rail nationalisation bill, which recently became law.

Starmer’s government has faced criticism since taking office, including for limiting fuel payments to the elderly, introducing significant tax increases, and making changes to inheritance tax rules that have drawn backlash from farmers and businesses.

(With inputs from Reuters)

More For You

modi-trump-getty

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi hold a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty Images)

Explained: Impact of US tariffs on Indian exports

The United States has announced a 27 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods entering the American market.

Industry experts have said these duties will pose challenges for Indian exports, though India's position remains more favourable than some of its competitors.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian drug dealer known as 'starkcake' jailed for 18 years

Heemal Vaid (Photo: NCA)

Asian drug dealer known as 'starkcake' jailed for 18 years

A 49-year-old Asian drug dealer who masterminded the import and sale of cocaine and heroin worth more than £4 million has been jailed for 18 years, after National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators identified him from secret phone messages.

British Indian Heemal Vaid, of Cheam, used EncroChat – an encrypted phone service for criminals – to broker deals, unaware that in 2020, an international law enforcement team would crack EncroChat’s encryption.

Keep ReadingShow less
Metropolitan Police

The Met said it would not be making redundancies but would achieve savings by reducing recruitment and not replacing those who leave.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Met Police to cut 1,700 jobs amid £260m budget shortfall

THE METROPOLITAN POLICE has announced plans to cut 1,700 officers, PCSOs, and staff due to a £260 million budget deficit.

The force will also scale back several services, including the removal of the Royal Parks Police team and officers stationed in schools.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Trump announced a series of tariff increases targeting various nations, including key US allies such as the UK and the European Union.

Getty Images

Trump’s tariffs hit global markets, Starmer warns of 'economic impact'

The UK and other global economies reacted on Thursday to US president Donald Trump's newly imposed tariffs, with prime minister Keir Starmer warning of an “economic impact” from the 10 per cent levy on British exports.

Trump announced a series of tariff increases targeting various nations, including key US allies such as the UK and the European Union.

Keep ReadingShow less
India told to prepare for deadly rise in temperatures

The country can expect more heatwave days this year

India told to prepare for deadly rise in temperatures

INDIA can expect hotter-thanusual temperatures this summer with more heatwave days taking a toll on lives and livelihoods, the weather office warned.

The country is no stranger to scorching summers, but years of scientific research has found climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

Keep ReadingShow less