The streets of Sheffield Heeley were divided this morning following the resignation of MP Louise Haigh as Transport Secretary.

Haigh resigned from her position this morning, following a charge of misleading the police after a mugging incident in 2013.

However, a local resident said: “I don’t think she should’ve been voted into Parliament when they already know about her and what she had done”. 

Haigh, who was described as having “terrier-like intensity”, was first elected as Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley in 2015 but has served in both shadow cabinet and ministerial roles. 

One constituent said: “It is insignificant and I do not think she ought to have resigned over that.”

She was the youngest member of the cabinet, and also the first cabinet resignation since the July election.

Other constituents shared that they felt as though she had made positive progress for local transport and its improvement. 

In her resignation, she said she will continue to fight for the people of Sheffield Heeley as their MP.

Dr Joe Ward, a Postdoctoral Fellow in Politics at the University of Sheffield, said he feels as though there is a “double standard” within the government.

“When you’re closer to the leadership, it seems you get more leeway.”

However, it has been speculated that further information came to light prior to her resignation this morning. 

He said: “Her resignation has been clean and quick and she’s clearly been advised to act quickly.”

Haigh told Prime Minister Keir Starmer that she will now best support his political project from outside the government. 

10 Downing Street has declined to clarify whether or not the Prime Minister knew of Haigh’s previous convictions upon her appointment to the shadow cabinet in 2020.