Louise Haigh has been appointed to key positions within Prime Minister Andy Burnham's new Labour cabinet, taking on the roles of chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, first secretary of state, and Cabinet Office minister. She will oversee Number 10 North, a newly established unit designed to shift power and provide regional support for utility reform, reindustrialization, and regeneration.
Haigh, a close ally of Burnham, entered Parliament as the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Heeley in 2015. She was recognized in 2016 as the hardest-working new MP, noted for her significant contributions to Commons debates and questions. Then-Speaker John Bercow commended her "terrier-like intensity."
Previously, Haigh served as transport secretary. In 2025, she resigned from Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet after disclosing a fraud offense from 2013. While on the backbenches, Haigh became a significant figure within the "soft left" of the Labour Party and was instrumental in a large rebellion that opposed government welfare cuts in 2025. She also has a background as a special constable and a Unite union shop steward.