Louise Haigh accuses ‘cabal of men’ around Keir Starmer of mistreating women in cabinet

Former transport secretary said she was one of several victims of ‘sexist and unpleasant’ press briefs

Louise Haigh has accused Keir Starmer’s allies of briefing “consistently and viciously” against her after she resigned as transport secretary as she spoke openly about her departure from the cabinet in 2024 and her reasons for backing Andy Burnham.

Talking to the BBC’s Nick Robinson, she said she had been a victim of a “cabal of men mistreating women”, who also targeted her cabinet colleagues Lisa Nandy, Bridget Phillipson and Angela Rayner, as well as Starmer’s former chief of staff Sue Gray.