Commuters on whether transport secretary was right to go

Louise Haigh MP resigned as transport secretary on Friday morning after it was revealed she had committed a fraud offence a decade ago. BBC News headed to the railway and bus station in the city she represents to ask transport users what they made of her standing down.

It was still dark in Sheffield as people making their way to work found out that one of the city's MPs had quit her ministerial post.

Haigh, who represents the Sheffield Heeley constituency, had admitted telling police in 2013 she had lost her work mobile phone in a mugging, but later found it had not been taken.

She was given a conditional discharge by magistrates, following the incident which happened before she became an MP.

Some commuters I spoke to had not yet heard the news with some having no idea who the former minister was or her connection to Sheffield.

Jack Colburn, 26, believed the resignation of Haigh, who became an MP in 2015, could have been avoided.

"I think all MPs should be more transparent, anyone working on that level and representing people should be more honest about their history," he told me.

"If they are more honest and upfront, it reduces the fallout further down the line."

Sam Richardson, 22, who lives in Sheffield, said he thought the public had a right to know what was in a politician's past if it involved criminal matters.

"I don't think it should be covered up," he added.

Asked if it was right that Haigh had stepped down, he said "If somebody has been found guilty of something like this or if the public perception of somebody has shifted, I think that they should react to that accordingly.

"I think it is right for her to step down given the circumstances."

Echoing his sentiments, another resident said while the matter may appear "trivial" he expected politicians would hold themselves accountable.

He added: "It is a criminal act."

Siobhan Fitt-Stirling, 35, and Simon Partridge, 34, did not agree that Haigh's spent conviction necessitated a departure.

Ms Fitt-Stirling said: "Looking at what she said about the incident, it seemed like a genuinely, honest mistake.

"I know that we have to hold MPs accountable but I think this is very minor thing to resign over, especially with the impact she has had so far being transport secretary."

Mr Partridge added: "She made a mistake, it's such a silly thing to resign over when there are probably people in the cabinet who have done worse things.

"It's over 10 years ago, who cares? Someone had it out for her, so she's gone."

Another commuter told the BBC she thought Haigh's decision to resign was "very brave".

Claire Mercer has been campaigning to scrap smart motorways since her husband Jason died on the M1 near Sheffield in June 2019.

Following Haigh's resignation, the widow said the current political turnover was stalling progress.

"In five years, we’ve had five prime ministers and four transport secretaries, there is just no consistency," she told BBC Look North.

"How can any policy get decent consideration when we are averaging that turnover?"

Haigh called for smart motorways to be abandoned as recently as April 2023, calling them "not fit for purpose", however, Ms Mercer said the politician never met with her.

Undeterred, Ms Mercer said she would "keep on fighting" and hoped the new transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, was "ready for me".

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