Labour MP Tulip Siddiq's appointment as the UK's Anti-Corruption Minister has sparked controversy due to her familial ties with Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Critics argue that this connection should have been more thoroughly considered before her appointment, reports The Guardian.
Discussions within the ruling Labour Party have intensified following Tulip Siddiq’s resignation. A party member described the appointment as “a mistake.”
Concerns about Siddiq’s political affiliations emerged in 2013 when a photograph of her with Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin circulated.
The Guardian reported on Tuesday that this image had raised alarms in political circles.
“Everyone knew that Tulip came from a politically influential family in Bangladesh, deeply entrenched in power and wealth,” said a Labour Party member.
“Was it appropriate to draw global attention to these connections by appointing her to this role? I doubt anyone would call it a wise decision.”
Responding to the photograph with Putin, Tulip Siddiq told the Evening Standard, “I was not part of my aunt’s [Sheikh Hasina’s] delegation. I visited simply because we hadn’t seen each other for a long time. At the meeting, Putin asked, ‘Are your family members here? I’d like to take a photo.’”
Tulip Siddiq ran as Labour’s candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn in the 2015 UK elections.
Her presence at a 2013 Kremlin event, which saw the signing of billion-dollar arms and nuclear energy deals, remained a topic of scrutiny.
However, Tulip downplayed the significance of these questions.
Independent adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, addressed a letter to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer regarding the investigation into Siddiq’s alleged corruption.
He asserted that Siddiq did not breach the ministerial code and found no irregularities in her financial activities or asset acquisitions.
Nevertheless, Siddiq’s connections with Sheikh Hasina’s close associates continue to be a point of contention. A businessman linked to Hasina reportedly gifted Siddiq a flat in London.
Additionally, Siddiq’s younger sister received another flat from a close associate of Hasina, where Siddiq resided rent-free for a period.
Sir Laurie Magnus’ review did not entirely dismiss these allegations, leaving Siddiq’s ties to Hasina’s regime somewhat ambiguous.
Magnus noted that Siddiq provided substantial evidence in her defence but could not present adequate documentation due to time constraints, a situation he described as regrettable.
The most surprising claim by Siddiq was her assertion that she was unaware of the origins of the Kings Cross flat where she once lived, believing it to be a gift from her parents. In reality, it had come from a close associate of Sheikh Hasina.
Tulip Siddiq reportedly signed a land transfer form at the time, as mentioned in Magnus’ letter to Starmer.
A government source expressed disbelief, stating, “How can someone receive a flat and not know its source? It stretches the limits of credibility.”
