Dhaka: Tulip Siddiq, the niece of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina , resigned as Treasury minister on Tuesday to prevent her family connections from becoming a “distraction” from the British government’s work.
In her resignation letter, which 10 Downing Street released, Siddiq highlighted 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.
Responding to Siddiq’s letter, UK PM Keir Starmer accepted it “with sadness” and confirmed that Labour MP Emma Reynolds was confirmed by Downing Street as Siddiq’s replacement.
“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. 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. I want to thank you for self-referring to the Independent Adviser and for your full cooperation with the establishment of facts,” Starmer’s letter read.
