WEB DESK: United Kingdom treasury minister Tulip Siddiq has stepped down following mounting pressure over an anti-corruption investigation linked to her family ties in Bangladesh.
Despite an investigation by Prime Minister’s standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, which found no evidence of financial impropriety, Siddiq said her continued presence in the role would be a “distraction.”
Aunt to the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, who went into exile last year after her government was ousted, this has brought controversy to Siddiq’s name. Allegations surfaced that she used a London property that Hasina’s associates linked to her. Siddiq, at first, mentioned she purchased the flat through her parents but later cleared that there was a misunderstanding regarding origins. And this led to public confusion.
Sir Laurie thereby found no evidence of improper financial dealings but stated, instead, that Siddiq must have been misguided regarding the reputational risks entailed by her family affiliation. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said she would resign with “sadness” as there was no contravention of the Ministerial Code.
The other fact has been given to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who took a dig at Starmer, calling it weak leadership and stating that he was delaying Siddiq’s resignation. Former managing director in the private sector, Labour MP Emma Reynolds, has taken charge as the new delegation under Siddiq.
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