Close Menu
WTX News
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • Arrests made at protest for Palestine Action in London
    • Jamie Overton replaces Saqib Mahmood in England XI for third ODI
    • Sure! Here’s the text without the site name, category, date, and full stops: “It blew my mind as a kid” TV fans reveal best sci-fi series ever
    • Israel warns Gaza City residents to flee south to humanitarian area
    • Mauricio Pochettino ‘shocked’ by Daniel Levy’s Tottenham exit
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    WTX News
    • Live News
      • US News
      • EU News
      • UK News
      • Politics
      • COVID-19
      • Business
      • Tech zone
    • World news
      • Middle East News
        • UAE News
        • Palestine News
      • Europe
        • Italian News
        • Spanish News
      • Africa news
      • South America
      • North America
      • Asia
    • News Briefings
      • UK News Briefing
      • World News Briefing
      • Live Business News
    • Sports
      • Football News
      • Tennis
      • Women’s Football
    • MY World
      • Climate Change
      • In Review
      • Expose
      • Special Reports
        • Conscience Convoy
        • Rohingya Report
    • Entertainment
      • Insta Talk
      • Royal Family
      • Gaming News
      • TV Shows
      • Streaming
    • Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • Fashion
      • Cooking recipes
      • Luxury
      • Money Saving Expert
    • Travel
      • Culture
      • Holidays
    • Sign Up
      • Log In
    WTX News
    • Live News
    • World news
    • News Briefings
    • Sports
    • MY World
    • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Sign Up
    Home - News Briefing - Starmer risks ministerial rift with slap down of transport secretary after £1bn investment loss
    News Briefing Updated:October 13, 2024

    Starmer risks ministerial rift with slap down of transport secretary after £1bn investment loss

    By David Pike4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Telegram WhatsApp
    Starmer risks ministerial rift with slap down of transport secretary after £1bn investment loss

    Starmer risks ministerial rift with slap down of transport secretary after £1bn investment loss

    Keir Starmer has risked deepening a rift in his own government after he used an interview with the BBC to criticise his transport secretary Louise Haigh.

    The prime minister appeared on the BBC News Newscast podcast with Adam Fleming and Chris Mason, where he was pressed on Ms Haigh’s comments to ITV earlier this week where she suggested a boycott of P&O ferries.

    The transport secretary had been discussing widespread anger with the ferry company over its decision to fire and rehire 800 employees to save money.

    The fallout saw P&O’s parent company DP World cancel a £1 billion Thames Gateway investment in protest ahead of the government’s major investors summit on Monday. It is understood the firm particularly objected to Ms Haigh calling them a “cowboy operator”.

    Grilled on what he thought of the minister’s comments, the prime minister slapped her down publicly.

    Addressing her attack on DP World, he said: “Well, look, that’s not the view of the government.”

    But he quickly added: “And that was an issue that well, you know, the issue that cropped up a number of years ago now that I think across parliament was a cause for real concern. And I think one of things we’ve done is to change that. So they can’t forget that that matters.

    “But what matters to me is keeping our focus on that inward investment because it’s the, you know, it’s the jobs of the future that matter and jobs that are well-paid, that are secure, that are skilled and in different parts of the country.”

    However, the comments come after claims of a briefing against Ms Haigh in a bid to save the Downing Street operation itself from criticism and shield deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.

    The original complaint with DP World had come in a press release on workers’ rights detailing the P&O incident which was cleared by Downing Street and included inflammatory quotes from Ms Rayner and Ms Haigh.

    An ally of Ms Haigh’s branded the attacks on her as “a complete disgrace”, suggesting after a difficult few weeks the prime minister’s inner circle “is running out of friends”.

    In his interview, Sir Keir claimed he had achieved all he had hoped in his first 100 days as prime minister but admitted that “along the way, there were bumps and side winds, which I’d prefer we hadn’t bumped into and been pushed by”.

    Asked what he meant, the prime minister said: “Stuff on donations, staffing issues, that sort of thing.”

    He was referring to sacking his chief of staff Sue Gray last weekend and replacing her with election coordinator Morgan McSweeney as well as being dogged by questions over £107,000 worth of free gifts including Taylor Swift tickets, football tickets, expensive glasses and clothes he had received.

    However, he insisted he is focused on getting investment into the country as he tries to create economic growth.

    “The investment is absolutely crucial and we’re not talking enough about it, in my view, because this is investment that can be measured in jobs in places across the United Kingdom, good, secure jobs for the future,” he said.

    And despite the DP World cancellation of its £1 billion project, he insisted Monday’s summit will be a success.

    “Don’t underestimate the significance that so many are coming. There are so many top-level investors coming because they want to be part of the conversation we’re going to have on Monday. So it’s a very significant event.

    “I think what will convince them is that we have listened to what they’ve told us about economic stability. So I’ve had lots of discussions with investors over the last two or three years and asked the question, you have the money to invest because I can see you’re investing elsewhere in the world.

    “Why are you not investing in the UK? And the answer? There were various versions of the answer that came back, but it boiled down to a lack of confidence in the last government because it was chopping and changing.”

    DP World previously declined to comment.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/Keir-Starmer-louise-haigh-transport-investment-row-b2628100.html

    Keir Starmer Main Headlines The Independent UK featured UK politics
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email Telegram WhatsApp
    Previous ArticleNo 10 appalled by Israel’s attacks at the UN
    Next Article UK leader Keir Starmer is marking 100 days in office. It has been a rocky ride
    David Pike

    David Pike is an experienced news journalist with over 20 years experience as a UK News editor for WTX News and other news publications.

    Related Posts

    Arrests made at protest for Palestine Action in London
    London

    Arrests made at protest for Palestine Action in London

    Israel warns Gaza City residents to flee south to humanitarian area
    UK News

    Israel warns Gaza City residents to flee south to humanitarian area

    100 firefighters tackling blaze at former BBC television centre in London’s White City
    London

    100 firefighters tackling blaze at former BBC television centre in London’s White City

    President Trump signs order rebranding Pentagon as the Department of War
    UK News

    President Trump signs order rebranding Pentagon as the Department of War

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Advertisment
    News Headlines
    Arrests made at protest for Palestine Action in London

    Arrests made at protest for Palestine Action in London

    Israel warns Gaza City residents to flee south to humanitarian area

    Israel warns Gaza City residents to flee south to humanitarian area

    Save 70% on VIP subscription
    News Briefings - the way to a better life
    News Briefings - the way to a better life
    Advert by Sponsors
    More from WTX News
    The latest gaming news - with game reviews and tips and tricks. updated 24 hours a day.
    The latest gaming news
    Hot off the press!
    • Arrests made at protest for Palestine Action in London September 6, 2025
    • Jamie Overton replaces Saqib Mahmood in England XI for third ODI September 6, 2025
    • Sure! Here’s the text without the site name, category, date, and full stops: “It blew my mind as a kid” TV fans reveal best sci-fi series ever September 6, 2025
    • Israel warns Gaza City residents to flee south to humanitarian area September 6, 2025
    • Mauricio Pochettino ‘shocked’ by Daniel Levy’s Tottenham exit September 6, 2025
    wtx news brings you the latest news, a UK news briefing, Sports analysis, and premier league news with a special round-up of Business and crypto updates
    Facebook X (Twitter) TikTok Instagram

    News

    • World News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • EU News
    • Business
    • Opinions
    • News Briefing
    • Live News

    Company

    • About WTX News
    • Register
    • Advertising
    • Work with us
    • Contact
    • Community
    • GDPR Policy
    • Privacy

    Services

    • Fitness for free
    • Insta Talk
    • How to guides
    • Climate Change
    • In Review
    • Expose
    • NEWS SUMMARY
    • Money Saving Expert

    News delivered to your inbox

    Copyright WTX News 2025

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.