Louise Haigh has been announced as the UK’s secretary of state for transport.
Haigh, a Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley since 2015, replaces the Conservative Party’s Mark Harper as transport secretary following Labour’s landslide victory at last week’s general election.
Having served as shadow secretary of state for transport since 2021, Haigh has been a vocal advocate for modernising the UK’s transport infrastructure.
At the Labour Party Conference in 2022, she announced Labour’s commitment to bringing the railways into public ownership and allowing local areas to establish their own municipal bus companies.
Haigh has also been a vocal critic of the previous Conservative government’s transport policies, particularly the cancellation of the eastern arm of HS2 and the limited scope of Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Upon her appointment as the UK’s eighth transport secretary since 2010, Haigh reaffirmed her commitment to making the country’s public transport system more affordable, accessible and reliable.
“The hard work starts today. Transport is at the heart of Labour’s mission-led government.
“We will deliver the biggest overhaul of public transport in a generation – putting passengers first, and transport infrastructure fit for modern Britain.”
READ MORE: What a Labour government means for the UK’s transport sector
Haigh has also pledged to expedite the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality across urban areas, as well as to tackle disparities in transport funding between London and other regions.
The UK transport industry has largely welcomed Haigh’s appointment, with industry leaders optimistic about Haigh’s ability to drive forward the decarbonisation of transport and support the expansion of EV infrastructure.
James Court, chief executive of Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) England, said: “This is an exciting time for the newly elected Labour government to keep up the pace of our net zero goals and push on with the ambitious changes EV drivers are demanding.
“Our members report overwhelming satisfaction with their driving experience, and the growing number of EVs on UK roads is testament to strong future prospects for EVs.
“EVA England looks forward to working with the transport secretary to make these prospects a reality, ensuring our charging and support networks develop at pace, and that new EV drivers remain just as satisfied.”
Paul Tuohy, chief executive of transport charity Campaign for Better Transport, said: “We welcome the appointment of Louise Haigh as transport secretary and we look forward to working with her, and her new team of junior ministers, to help improve transport for communities up and down the country.”
Haigh steps into the role as transport secretary at a time when the UK is grappling with several pressing transport challenges.
These include the need for substantial investment in rail infrastructure, managing the impact of ongoing industrial actions, and addressing the country’s aging road networks.
Additionally, the shift towards a more integrated and sustainable transport system remains a top priority.
Prior to her parliamentary career, Haigh worked as a public policy manager for multinational insurance company Aviva, focusing on corporate governance and responsible investment policy.
Her early parliamentary career was marked by significant activity; within nine months of her election, she was the most active among new MPs, making 90 speeches and asking 471 parliamentary questions.
Since then, Haigh’s rise in the Labour Party has been swift. She has held several shadow ministerial positions, including in the Cabinet Office, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Home Office.
Her first shadow cabinet role was as shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland in 2020.
Haigh was also a shadow policing minister under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, and ran the leadership campaign of Lisa Nandy, who she had worked for before entering Parliament, in the contest to replace Corbyn in 2019.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also appointed former Transport for London commissioner and current chair of Network Rail Peter Hendy, Baron Hendy of Richmond Hill, CBE, as transport ministers.
Further governmental appointments will follow this week.
