Labour transport boss drove a ‘lady racer’ in her 20s – and was caught rushing

The Shadow Transport Secretary says she was caught speeding when she was younger – as she talked about her first car and favourite driving tunes.

Louise Haigh, 36, said she whizzed around in a “bright yellow” car, which she described as a “proper girl racer”. Asked if she was done for speeding, she told the Mirror: “Yes but not since my very early 20s.”

Ms Haigh was asked about her driving habits as she launched Labour’s plans for motorists with Keir Starmer. She said she didn’t pass her driving test until the fourth attempt, adding: “I failed three times.”

“My first car was a Citroën Saxo Scandal. It was bright yellow and it had my name in the back windscreen,” she said. “I was a proper girl racer.” Ms Haigh admitted she is a messy car person, adding: “It’s revolting.”

She revealed her favourite transport is the bus but that she spends most of her time in the car. Asked what artist gets her through a long car journey, she added: “As a proud Sheffielder, I’d have to say the Arctic Monkeys.”

Ms Haigh and Mr Starmer set out Labour’s plans for drivers at a training centre for mechanics in Grimsby. The pair were shown the damage done to cars from unsafe roads as they pledged to fix up to one million potholes every year as well as crack down on soaring car insurance costs.

Pothole damage cost drivers almost £500 million last year, with the average damage worth £250, the party said. Car insurance costs have also spiralled out of control, increasing by more than £200 on average in just two years. This has been driven by damage from pothole-ridden roads, soaring inflation and rising car thefts.

Mr Starmer said: “We can’t have a situation where it’s harder for people to drive because there are potholes in the road or insurance is too high. So I want to make it easier for people to use their cars on roads that are safe, don’t cost them a fortune in potholes and not have to pay over the top insurance premiums.”

Ms Haigh said: “Cars are a lifeline for millions up and down the country. They get people to work, allow parents to get kids to school and help carers support relatives – but drivers have been totally failed by this Conservative government.”