Tulip Siddiq resigns as Treasury minister

Published

5 days ago

January 14, 2025

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Tulip Siddiq has resigned as a Treasury minister after controversy over links to her aunt’s ousted political movement in Bangladesh.

In a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, the Hampstead and Highgate MP said while she had “not breached the ministerial code”, continuing in her post would be “a distraction from the work of the government”.

Politics Live: Reaction to minister’s resignation

Ms Siddiq has been under pressure over allegations about properties linked to her aunt Sheikh Hasina, who was deposed as Bangladesh’s prime minister in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership, and now faces a corruption probe.

She previously insisted she had “done nothing wrong” but referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog, Sir Laurie Magnus, last week.

In a letter to Sir Keir, the independent adviser called it “regrettable” Ms Siddiq “was not more alert to the potential reputational risks” arising from her close family’s association with Bangladesh.

He said this “shortcoming” should not be taken as a breach of the ministerial code, “but you will want to consider her ongoing responsibilities in the light of this”.

Sir Laurie reviewed Ms Siddiq’s financial affairs and the background of properties she owns or has occupied and said he found no evidence of any “improprieties” in her actions.

In his reply, Sir Keir said he has accepted Ms Siddiq’s resignation “with sadness”, adding: “I also wish to be clear that Sir Laurie Magnus as Independent Adviser has assured me he found no breach of the ministerial code and no evidence of financial improprieties on your part.”

He praised her for making the “difficult decision” to resign nonetheless and said “the door remains open for you” going forward.

Ms Siddiq has been an MP since 2015 and is probably best known for campaigning for the release of her constituent Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, who was detained in Iran for six years.

Downing Street has announced Wycombe MP Emma Reynolds has been appointed to replace her in the Treasury, and Torsten Bell will take Ms Reynolds’ previous role in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Ms Siddiq had the role of city minister, which meant she was responsible for illicit finance and corruption.

The UK Anti-Corruption Coalition had called for Ms Siddiq to resign earlier this week, accusing her of a “serious conflict of interests” regardless of whether Sir Laurie found she had breached the ministerial code.

In a post on X, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of “dither and delay to protect his close friend”, saying it became clear over the weekend Ms Siddiq’s position “was completely untenable”.

Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat’s Cabinet Office spokesperson, said: “After years of Conservative sleaze and scandal, people rightly expected better from this government.”

What are the allegations facing Ms Siddiq?

It is alleged that Ms Siddiq lived in properties in London linked to allies of Ms Hasina, who is facing an investigation by an anti-corruption commission in Bangladesh.

This includes a £2.1m house in Finchley which the MP rents and which is owned by businessman Abdul Karim Nazim, an executive member of her aunt’s Awami League party’s UK branch.

In referring herself to Sir Laurie for investigation, Ms Siddiq said much of the reporting surrounding her financial affairs and links to Bangladesh had been inaccurate and “I am clear that I have done nothing wrong”.

Ms Siddiq has also been named in Bangladesh court documents as allegedly helping her aunt broker a 2013 deal with Russia for the Rooppur nuclear power plant, which she denies.

Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission has also alleged she was involved in the illegal allocation of plots of land in the diplomatic zone of a development near Dhaka to her mother, sister and brother.

A Labour source said she totally refutes the claims and had not been contacted by anyone on the matter.

Ms Siddiq had been due to join a delegation heading to China last week, but stayed in the UK to fight to clear her name.

But further pressure mounted after Sky News discovered historical blog posts she wrote describing campaigning with her aunt in Bangladesh’s general election and celebrating her victory.

Ms Siddiq had previously said she and her aunt never spoke about politics.

The Times also reported the MP’s Labour Party flyers and a thank you note to local Labour Party members after she was elected as an MP were found in the palace in Dhaka that belonged to her aunt.

UK

New photo of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, shared ahead of her 60th birthday

Published

4 hours ago

January 19, 2025

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New photo of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, shared ahead of her 60th birthday

A photograph of the Duchess of Edinburgh smiling has been released by Buckingham Palace to celebrate her upcoming 60th birthday.

The photo of Sophie mid-laugh perched on a window seat at her home in Bagshot Park was captured by the London-based photographer Christina Ebenezer earlier this month.

The royal was sporting a cream pleated skirt and dark long-sleeved knit.

Buckingham Palace said Sophie chose the Nigerian-born photographer as she was interested in her creative style of photography and wanted to support a rising female photographer.

Ebenezer has been named both a British Fashion Council New Wave Creative, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 Arts & Culture Leader. Two of her portraits were unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in partnership with Chanel last January.

The statement from the palace added: “As the Duchess looks ahead to turning 60, Her Royal Highness has a renewed sense of excitement and commitment to her work around gender equality and looks forward to further embracing and championing this issue in the years to come.”

Sophie will celebrate her birthday on Monday privately at home with the Duke of Edinburgh.

Since the King’s coronation in 2023, the Duchess of Edinburgh has played a key role in the Royal Family, making official visits overseas and stepping in for the monarch as he underwent cancer treatment.

In April last year, Sophie became the first member of the Royal Family to visit Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion began, and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska.

Later, the duchess met with five women who fled the Sudan civil war in Chad and was moved to tears hearing about their “devastating” experiences with sexual violence.

UK

Ellis Cox: Mother appeals to catch son’s killer on birthday anniversary

Published

8 hours ago

January 19, 2025

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Ellis Cox: Mother appeals to catch son's killer on birthday anniversary

Fresh appeals have been made for information on what would have been the 20th birthday of Ellis Cox, who was shot dead in Liverpool last June.

A number of people have been arrested in connection with the murder at Liver Industrial Estate, but no one has been charged yet.

The 19-year-old’s family and police have paid tribute to him and called for those with information to come forward.

He was shot in the back after a confrontation between his friends and another group of up to three males on Sunday 23 June.

His mother Carolyn paid tribute in an appeal to coincide with what would have been his 20th birthday.

“He was so kind… so laid back, so calm, so mature for his age. And he was just funny. Very funny.

“He was my baby… no mum should have to bury a child. He was my life. And I don’t know what to do without him.”

Meanwhile, his aunt Julie O’Toole said he was “the sort of person I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone to say anything negative about. He was loyal, fiercely loyal… everything was about his family”.

To pay tribute to Ellis, Liverpool City Council will be lighting up the Cunard Building and Liverpool Town Hall in orange on Saturday.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve McGrath, the senior investigating officer, spoke about the information gathered so far, six months on from Mr Cox’s murder.

“I’m satisfied that the group that he was with was probably the target… and I would say that’s got something in relation to do with localised drug dealing in that area. But Ellis had no involvement in that whatsoever,” he said.

He added that police are looking for “really significant pieces of evidence now”, including “trying to recover the firearm that was used in relation to this, looking to recover the bikes that were used by the offenders”.

Mrs Cox also appealed for people to come forward with information.

“If you know anything, don’t let us get to [his] next birthday and still know nothing.

“We need to get justice for Ellis. And we need to get the people who took him from us off the streets.”

UK

Reward of £20,000 offered to identify parents of three siblings abandoned as babies over eight years

Published

17 hours ago

January 18, 2025

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Reward of £20,000 offered to identify parents of three siblings abandoned as babies over eight years

A £20,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the identification of the parents of three siblings found abandoned in London over eight years.

The Metropolitan Police said that despite more than 450 hours of CCTV being reviewed, the parents of the three children, known as Elsa, Roman and Harry, remain unidentified.

However, it is believed their mother has lived in an area of east London “over the past six years”.

Elsa was believed to be less than an hour old when she was found by a dog walker on 18 January last year, in East Ham, east London.

In the months that followed it was found that she had two siblings who were also abandoned in similar circumstances, in the same area of London, in 2017 and 2019.

On Saturday, police said the independent group Crimestoppers had offered a £20,000 reward for information passed to the charity, which will expire on 18 April.

Detective Inspector Jamie Humm, of the Met’s child abuse investigation team, said: “We have carried out extensive inquiries over the past year to try and locate Elsa’s parents.

“This has involved reviewing over 450 hours of CCTV and completing a full DNA structure of the mother.

“We have serious concerns for the wellbeing of the parents, especially the mother, and are continuing to work closely with Newham Council and appeal for the public’s help for information.

“I believe that someone in the area will have been aware of the mother’s pregnancies and that within the community there may be (or) have been concerns for this mother’s welfare.

“Thanks to the DNA work of forensic colleagues, police will be able to eliminate any unconnected person quickly and easily, as such I would ask you to contact police with confidence.”

Elsa was found wrapped in a towel in a reusable shopping bag, of which police have also released a new image, and was kept warm by the dog walker. She was uninjured.

Police said at the time that it was “highly likely” that she was born after a “concealed pregnancy”.

The BBC reported that at an initial court hearing, East London Family Court was told it took doctors three hours to record Elsa’s temperature because of the cold, and the Met Office said that temperatures dropped to as low as -4C on the night she was found.

Hospital staff named her Elsa in a reference to the character from the film Frozen.

The police investigation into the identity of the children’s parents continues, and anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or post @MetCC ref Operation Wolcott.

People can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously at any time on 0800 555 111 or via Crimestoppers-uk.org.