Starmer Faces Criticism Over Cabinet Appointment

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under fire for appointing Louise Haigh as transport secretary despite her past conviction for a fraud offence, involving falsely reporting a mobile phone as stolen in 2013. During a heated Prime Minister's Questions session, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Starmer of lacking transparency and demanded explanations about his knowledge of Haigh's conviction. Starmer defended his decision, contrasting it with previous Conservative behaviors, but refused to disclose further private details. Meanwhile, the National Audit Office criticized the government's prison expansion plans, highlighting a projected shortage of 12,400 prison places by 2027 and costs exceeding initial estimates by £4 billion. Additionally, Labour plans to renationalize three rail operators next year, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces criticism for maintaining significant tax hikes to fund the NHS despite pledging no further business tax increases. These issues set the stage for ongoing debates on transparency, public spending, and infrastructure reforms in the UK political landscape.