Labour minister Pat McFadden has defended Sir Keir Starmer's decision to appoint Louise Haigh as Transport Secretary, despite her past conviction.
Speaking on GB News' Camilla Tominey Show, McFadden emphasised that having previous convictions should not prevent someone from serving in Parliament.
"What we've never said is that someone who has some past conviction which is now spent can never serve in Parliament. That's never been the case," McFadden stated.
Haigh resigned from her role following revelations about a 2014 conviction, related to incorrectly reporting a work mobile phone as stolen in 2013.
Pat McFadden defended Keir Starmer's appointment of Louise Haigh
GB News
The incident had been disclosed to Starmer when Haigh joined the shadow cabinet, though McFadden acknowledged he was not privy to the exact conversations that took place between the two.
In her resignation letter, Haigh had stated she remained "totally committed to our political project" but believed it would be "best served by my supporting you from outside Government."
McFadden praised the swift handling of Haigh's resignation, which came late Thursday night.
"She said in her resignation letter she didn't want this to go on and be a long, drawn-out saga, a distraction for the government," he told GB News.
Louise Haigh resigned after pleading guilty to offence in connection with misleading police in 2015
PA"We have a new transport secretary in place now, Heidi Alexander, who I think will do a really good job," he said.
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McFadden strongly rejected any comparisons between Labour's handling of the situation and the previous Conservative government's approach to controversies.
"I think the equivalence you're drawing there doesn't stack up at all," he said on GB News.
He pointed to the Conservative administration's conduct during the pandemic as a stark contrast.
"They wasted billions on Covid fraud and waste, and they organised a series of parties while telling the rest of the country they had to stay indoors and live a very strict lifestyle," McFadden stated.
McFadden told GB News that Haigh's resignation was dealt with 'much faster' than other Labour controversies
GB News
He highlighted the rapid resolution of Haigh's situation compared to previous controversies.
"When you look at the speed with which this was dealt with on Thursday, compared to all the inquiries and everything that we had to have with some of those past things, its much faster," he said.
McFadden dismissed suggestions that Labour has had a difficult start in Government.
"Not at all. We've had a good increase in the minimum wage, we've had more help for carers, we've had a freeze in the fuel duty.
"We've got a big agenda and this week we're going to take that forward with a new plan for change," McFadden said.
"That's going to be a good plan for the country. It's also going to change the way that the state works, because we've got to be doing that too, so that we get value for money and deliver for the British public," he stated.
