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Tulip Siddiq, daughter of Sheikh Rehana and niece of the ousted prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, has resigned as a UK Treasury minister on Tuesday amid a corruption row.
Ms Siddiq had been under increasing pressure over ties to her aunt Sheikh Hasina, the ousted prime minister of Bangladesh, and the use of properties in London linked to pro-Hasina oligarchs.
In her resignation letter sent to the UK Prime Minister, Labour Party lawmaker Ms Siddique said, “However, it is clear that continuing in my role as Economic Secretary to the Treasury is likely to be a distraction from the work of the Government. My loyalty is and always will be to this Labour Government and the programme of national renewal and transformation it has embarked upon” she continued.
“I have therefore decided to resign from my Ministerial position”.
“I am grateful to your Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards Sir Laurie Magnus for acting with speed and thoroughness in response to my self-referral, and for giving me the opportunity to share the full details of my finances and living arrangements, both present and historic”.
“As you know, having conducted an in-depth review of the matter at my request, Sir Laurie has confirmed that I have not breached the Ministerial Code”.
“As he notes, there is no evidence to suggest that I have acted improperly in relation to the properties I have owned or lived in, nor to suggest that any of my assets "derive from anything other than legitimate means."
“My family connections are a matter of public record, and when I became a Minister I provided the full details of my relationships and private interests to the government” she added.
“After extensive consultation with officials, I was advised to state in my declaration of interests that my aunt is the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and to recuse myself from matters relating to Bangladesh to avoid any perception of a conflict of interest”.
She further wrote “I want to assure you that I acted and have continued to act with full transparency and on the advice of officials on these matters”.
“I would like to thank you for the privilege of serving in your Government, which I will continue to support in any way I can from the backbenches”.
Ms Siddiq had previously referred herself to Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister's ethics adviser.
In a letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday, Sir Laurie said he should "consider her ongoing responsibilities" even though he did not believe that the Ministerial Code had been breached.