Siddiq resigns as minister to avoid becoming 'distraction'

Tulip Siddiq resigned as the anti-corruption minister yesterday after she was named in a number of corruption probes in Bangladesh involving her aunt, the country's former prime minister.

- KATE DEVLIN MILLIE COOKE

In her resignation letter to Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour MP said she was standing down as her position had become a “distraction”, but thanked him for his confidence in her. She has been replaced in the Treasury by Emma Reynolds, the MP for Wycombe.

Ms Siddiq had been investigated by the prime minister’s adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, after reports that she lived in properties in London linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who is now exiled in India.

While she was cleared of breaking the ministerial code by Sir Laurie, he appeared to suggest that the prime minister strip the Treasury minister of some of her responsibilities. He told Sir Keir it was “regrettable” that the minister, responsible for tackling financial crime, “was not more alert to the potential reputational risks – both to her and the government – arising from her family’s association with Bangladesh”.

“I would not advise that this shortcoming should be taken as a breach of the ministerial code, but you will want to consider her ongoing responsibilities in the light of this,” he said.

Ms Siddiq was given an apartment in King’s Cross in 2004 by Abdul Motalif, an associate of members of the Awami League party in Bangladesh.

Sir Laurie said: “Ms Siddiq acknowledges that, over an extended period, she was unaware of the origins of her ownership of her flat in Kings Cross, despite having signed a Land Registry transfer form relating to the gift at the time.”

She “remained under the impression that her parents had given the flat to her, having purchased it from the previous owner”.