Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer has lost another top minister after his anticorruption minister, Tulip Siddiq, resigned amid allegations of embezzlement in Bangladesh. The 42-year-old minister is the niece of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled the country last year.
Siddiq had previously faced scrutiny over her ties to her aunt and was referred for investigation by the prime minister’s ethics adviser. Despite denying any wrongdoing, she quit her post on Tuesday citing media attention as a distraction from the government’s agenda.
Starmer’s decision not to act earlier on the allegations has been criticized by opposition leader Kemi Badenoch, who called his delay “dithering and protectionist.”
Siddiq was responsible for tackling corruption in financial markets and had been a key figure in the Labour Party since its return to power last July. She will be replaced by Emma Reynolds.
The Bangladeshi government has accused Ms. Hasina’s associates of siphoning off billions of dollars from the country, prompting an investigation into Siddiq’s family finances. The UK opposition leader’s criticism highlights the pressure on Starmer to demonstrate his commitment to tackling corruption in his government.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/world/europe/britain-tulip-siddiq-resigns.html