Paula Harriott’s statement on the weaponisation of Louise Haigh MP’s criminal record

“We must stop treating a person’s past as a weapon to be used against them forever. Louise Haigh made a mistake more than a decade ago, received a minor sentence and has had no further convictions. As a public servant Louise assists thousands of her constituents every year and speaks up for them in Parliament. She has demonstrated through her life and public service that people are capable of learning, changing and moving forward.

“Her conviction is spent. This means that, except in defined circumstances, she is legally entitled not to disclose it. That principle lies at the heart of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974: once someone has completed their sentence and the relevant rehabilitation period, they should be able to rebuild their life without being permanently defined by one past mistake.

“When Louise is publicly attacked and labelled because of a spent criminal record, the consequences reach far beyond one politician. Millions of people with criminal records see what happens to her and shrink back from civic participation, public service and positions of responsibility. They fear that, however much they contribute and however long they live without further trouble, their past may one day be exposed and used to shame them.

“There are around 12.4 million people in the UK with some form of criminal record. Are we really saying that they should all be excluded from public life or forced to carry their worst moment forever?

“Rehabilitation must mean more than completing a sentence. It must include the possibility of acceptance, dignity and redemption. Louise Haigh deserves the opportunity to live beyond a single mistake and to be judged on the person she is today.

“It is time to lift the long shadow of the criminal record and act in accordance with both the letter and the spirit of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.”