UK anti-corruption minister and ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's niece Tulip Siddiq announced her resignation amid growing calls.Last week, the British Bangladeshi minister in charge of tackling corruption in the UK financial markets as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister had referred herself to Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests over allegations of corruption and a lack of transparency surrounding her use of properties in London .In her resignation letter released by 10 Downing Street, Siddiq pointed out that the watchdog had not found her in breach of the Ministerial Code and noted that she had not "acted improperly". "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. 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 government… I have therefore decided to resign from my ministerial position," reads Siddiq's letter to Starmer.The British Prime Minister responded by accepting her departure from his government "with sadness", and Labour MP Emma Reynolds was confirmed as Siddiq's replacement by Downing Street. "I appreciate that to end ongoing distraction from delivering our agenda to change Britain, you have made a difficult decision and want to be clear that the door remains open for you going forward," reads Starmer's letter to Siddiq. "In accepting your resignation, 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 said.

Source: The Times January 15, 2025 05:52 UTC