Kemi Badenoch has known as for the PM to sack Treasury Minister, Tulip Siddiq, after she was named in an investigation into claims her family embezzled up to £3.9bn from infrastructure spending in Bangladesh.
It follows feedback from Bangladesh’s new chief, Muhammad Yunus, who told the Sunday Times Siddiq ought to apologise after stories she had lived in London properties with hyperlinks to her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who was deposed as prime minister of Bangladesh final 12 months.
In a publish on X, the Conservative Get together chief mentioned: “It is time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq,” including that the PM had “appointed his private pal as anti-corruption minister and she or he is accused herself of corruption”.
Siddiq has referred herself to the prime minister’s requirements adviser and has insisted she has accomplished nothing fallacious.
In a letter to Sir Laurie Magnus, who polices requirements amongst authorities ministers, she mentioned: “I’m clear that I’ve accomplished nothing fallacious.”
Downing Road beforehand confirmed Sir Laurie would now conduct a “fact-finding” train to find out if “additional motion” was wanted, together with an additional investigation.
However writing on X Badenoch mentioned Siddiq had grow to be “a distraction when the federal government ought to be centered on coping with the monetary issues it has created”.
Badenoch added: “Now the federal government of Bangladesh is elevating severe issues about her hyperlinks to the regime of Sheikh Hasina”.
In an interview with the Sunday Occasions, Bangladesh’s chief mentioned that properties utilized by Siddiq ought to be investigated and handed again to his authorities in the event that they have been gained by way of “plain theft”.
Siddiq is financial secretary to the Treasury and accountable for tackling financial crime, cash laundering and illicit finance.
The allegations are part of a wider investigation by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into Hasina who was in control of Bangladesh for greater than 20 years, was seen as an autocrat whose authorities ruthlessly clamped down on dissent.
Since fleeing the nation Sheikh Hasina has been accused of a number of crimes by the brand new Bangladeshi authorities.
In her letter to Sir Laurie Magnus following the allegations Siddiq mentioned: “In current weeks I’ve been the topic of media reporting, a lot of it inaccurate, about my monetary affairs and my household’s hyperlinks to the previous authorities of Bangladesh.”
“I’m clear that I’ve accomplished nothing fallacious,” she mentioned, including: “Nevertheless, for the avoidance of doubt, I would really like you to independently set up the information about these issues.
In the meantime, Sir Keir advised reporters he had confidence in his minister, including Siddiq had “acted totally correctly” by referring herself for investigation.
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, 2025-01-11 22:34:00
