Kemi Badenoch has raised concerns about Keir Starmer’s decision to appoint Louise Haigh to his Cabinet, questioning why Starmer “knowingly appointed a convicted fraudster.” The controversy emerged after it was revealed that Haigh, the former Transport Secretary, had pleaded guilty to a fraud charge in 2014.
Badenoch, now the leader of the Conservative Party, criticized Starmer for overlooking Haigh’s criminal history. She pointed out that Haigh had been convicted of fraud by false representation after falsely claiming that her work phone was stolen during a mugging in London in 2013. Haigh later clarified that she had informed Starmer of the conviction when appointed to the shadow cabinet in 2020. Despite this, Haigh resigned from her position on Friday after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak withdrew his support, though No10 refused to disclose the “new information” that led to her resignation.
In response, Starmer fired back, reminding Badenoch that two of her predecessors—Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak—had both been fined for attending a birthday party for Johnson during the 2020 lockdown. He pointed out that fixed penalty notices, which do not result in criminal records, should not be equated with serious criminal convictions.
The exchange began when Badenoch questioned the Prime Minister over immigration policy, accusing him of hypocrisy for opposing deportation measures while also supporting policies that contributed to high levels of immigration. She took the opportunity to press Starmer on the Haigh matter, asking him to explain why he appointed a convicted fraudster to his cabinet.
Starmer responded by defending his actions, explaining that Haigh had done the right thing by resigning when new information emerged. He emphasized that while Badenoch was focused on the scandal, his government was working on addressing more pressing issues, including the £22 billion budget deficit and the growing prison population.
A spokesperson for Badenoch defended her comments, arguing that the public deserved transparency about the appointment. They reiterated that fixed penalty notices were not criminal convictions and demanded that the government “come clean” about the reasons behind Haigh’s resignation.
In contrast, a Labour source responded by highlighting the hypocrisy of the Conservative Party, pointing to the “partygate” scandal where Johnson and Sunak were fined for breaking their own lockdown rules. The Labour source suggested that the Tories should reconsider their stance on the matter before criticizing others.
The debate between the two political leaders reflects ongoing tensions within UK politics, with questions surrounding the ethics of cabinet appointments, public transparency, and accountability.