Tulip Siddiq Resigns as Treasury Minister Amid Family Link Controversy
Tulip Siddiq steps down from her Treasury role following scrutiny over family ties and property allegations
Tulip Siddiq, Treasury, Bangladesh, Keir Starmer, UK
London: Tulip Siddiq has decided to resign from her position as the Treasury’s economic secretary. This comes after some tough questions about her family connections. She was under pressure due to allegations involving properties linked to her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
In her resignation letter, she expressed gratitude to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, for his prompt investigation. She mentioned that he found no breach of the Ministerial Code, which is a relief.
Siddiq stated that she had been transparent about her family ties from the start. She made sure to declare her aunt’s former position and recused herself from any matters related to Bangladesh to avoid any conflicts of interest.
Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, accepted her resignation with sadness. He thanked her for her hard work, especially in rolling out Banking Hubs and contributing to financial inclusion efforts.
Starmer also emphasized that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing on her part. He acknowledged that her decision to resign was tough but necessary to keep the focus on the party’s agenda.
Following her departure, there have been some changes in the Treasury. Swansea West MP Torsten Bell has stepped in as the new parliamentary secretary, while Emma Reynolds has taken over as the Economic Secretary.