UK premier pressed about former transport secretary's fraud case

​​​​​​By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The British prime minister dodged questions Wednesday concerning former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh's resignation because of a fraud conviction.

Keir Starmer was pressed by the leader of the main opposition Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, about Haigh’s resignation during the Prime Minister’s Questions at the House of Commons.

Haigh resigned last week, less than 24 hours after reports surfaced that she had been convicted of fraud because of a missing work phone.

Badenoch asked Starmer about "what was he thinking" when he appointed a "fraudster" to lead the transport authority.

In reply, Starmer said Haigh resigned "when further information came forward," then shifted the topic to record levels of immigration under the Conservative government.

Badenoch pressed Starmer and asked him to explain what is the new information.

Starmer said in response that he would not disclose "private" conversations but reiterated that "further information came to light."

Badenoch said: "The country needs conviction politicians, not politicians with convictions."

Starmer retorted: "I gently remind her that two of her predecessors had convictions for breaking the COVID rules," referring to Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak who received a criminal penalty and fixed penalty notice, respectively.

Haigh’s resignation came after it was reported she had pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation in 2014, following an investigation by her former employer, Aviva, into a missing work phone.

She said in her resignation letter to Starmer that was published last week that it "was a mistake" to not immediately inform Aviva that she had found the missing phone.​​​​​​​