DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Corruption claim tests Keir Starmer's judgment
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A key role of the City Minister is to fight corruption in Britain’s financial sector. So how troubling that the current incumbent of this Treasury post is herself under investigation for embezzlement. Tulip Siddiq is being probed over a claim she and her family siphoned off £4 billion intended for a Kremlin-funded nuclear power plant in her native Bangladesh.
![[Russian President Vladimir Putin (centre), former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (left) and Tulip Siddiq MP (far left) attend the signing ceremony in the Kremlin on Jan 15, 2013]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/19/20/93292787-14211637-Russian_President_Vladimir_Putin_centre_former_Bangladesh_Prime_-a-12_1734640480873.jpg)
The allegation is part of a formal inquiry by the Bangladesh government into her aunt Sheikh Hasina Wazed, an autocrat who ruled the country for 15 years. Given the seriousness of the accusation, how is it possible for Ms Siddiq to remain in post? After all, she has influence over billions of pounds of British taxpayers’ money.
The Labour MP may, of course, be entirely innocent. But surely the most prudent and honourable course of action would be to step down, pending her name being cleared. Until then, a cloud of suspicion will inevitably hang over her. Indeed, imagine if a Tory minister had found themselves embroiled in an identical scandal.
Labour would shriek for resignations, the BBC would frenziedly live blog, and Emily Maitlis and the Lefty commentariat would post endless overwrought tweets. Tulip Siddiq pictured with prime minister Keir Starmer. The senior Labour minister is being investigated over claims that she and members of her family have taken bribes of up to £4billion in a nuclear power plant deal.
