Kemi Badenoch has called on the Prime Minister to sack treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations about properties linked to her family and aunt’s political movement in Bangladesh.
In a post on social media, the Conservative leader said “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
It comes amid calls from the new leader of Bangladesh for Ms Siddiq to apologise for using the properties linked to the previous Bangladeshi government.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, new Bangladeshi leader Muhammad Yunus said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated and handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
He also called on her to apologise and resign, saying: “She becomes the minister for anti-corruption and defends herself. Maybe you didn’t realise it, but now you realise it.
“You say: ‘Sorry, I didn’t know it (at) that time, I seek forgiveness from the people that I did this and I resign.’ She’s not saying that. She’s defending herself.”
As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
Following reports that she lived in properties in London linked to allies of her aunt, former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Ms Siddiq referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards Sir Laurie Magnus on Monday.
On the same day, Sir Keir told a press conference Ms Siddiq had “acted entirely properly” in referring herself to Sir Laurie and that he had “confidence in her”.
In a letter to Sir Laurie asking for an investigation to be opened, she maintained she had done nothing wrong.
Ms Siddiq also pulled out of accompanying the Chancellor on her trip to China this weekend in order to be available to help Sir Laurie with his investigation.
The Sunday Times has published further allegations about properties linked to Ms Siddiq and her family, along with Mr Yunus’s comments, prompting Mrs Badenoch’s call for her to be sacked.
The Tory leader said Ms Siddiq, who is Sir Keir’s constituency neighbour in North London, had become “a distraction”.
She added: “The Prime Minister tried to make a big deal of his commitment to standards and integrity. His weak leadership on Siddiq suggests he is not as bothered by integrity as he claims.”
Ms Siddiq’s aunt was deposed in August last year following an uprising against her leadership, and fled to India.
The former prime minister is facing an investigation by an anti-corruption commission in Bangladesh, with Ms Siddiq reportedly named as part of the case.
She was also alleged to have been involved in brokering a 2013 deal with Russia for a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh in which large sums of cash are said to have been embezzled.
Ms Siddiq’s decision to refer herself to the ministerial standards watchdog came after the Sunday Times and Financial Times reported she had lived in properties linked to her aunt’s regime.
The Sunday Times reported she had used a flat in Hampstead, north London, which had been given to her teenage sister by lawyer Moin Ghani, who had represented the Hasina administration.
The Financial Times revealed she had also used an apartment in King’s Cross given to her by Abdul Motalif, another associate of members of the Awami League party in Bangladesh.
In her letter to Sir Laurie, Ms Siddiq said: “In recent weeks I have been the subject of media reporting, much of it inaccurate, about my financial affairs and my family’s links to the former government of Bangladesh.
“I am clear that I have done nothing wrong.
“However, for the avoidance of doubt, I would like you to independently establish the facts about these matters.
“I will obviously ensure you have all the information you need to do this.”
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