Tulip refers herself to UK ethics watchdog over corruption claims, links to Hasina

Tulip Siddiq, who is serving as the UK’s economic secretary to the Treasury and its city minister, has referred herself to the government’s independent ethics advisor over her links to the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, reports bdnews24.com citing British newspaper the Independent.

She will be investigated by standards watchdog Sir Laurie Magnus amid questions over her aunt Hasina, who was removed from power after protests against her rule last year.

Questions have been swirling around Tulip since she was named in a probe launched by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). She is alleged to have helped her aunt siphon off £5.2 billion intended to be used to build eight large-scale projects including a nuclear power plant.

She faced fresh scrutiny over the weekend as it emerged she was given a central London flat by a person connected with Hasina’s Awami League party, and that she lived in a property in Hampstead, north London, that was given to her sister for free by an ally of her aunt’s regime, the Independent said in its report on Monday.

Amid growing pressure on Tulip to resign, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed she had referred herself to the standards advisor, who investigates potential breaches of the ministerial code and can advise the PM on sanctions for those in breach.

At a press conference on Monday, Starmer said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent advisor, as she has now done.

“That is why we brought in the new code, to allow ministers to ask the advisor to establish the facts.

“Yes I have confidence in her and that is the process that will now be happening.”

As well as referring herself to the watchdog, Tulip will now no longer go on a trip to China this week alongside Rachel Reeves and Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey, but will stay at home to assist the probe, according to the report.