McFadden insists he has full confidence in under-pressure minister Siddiq
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Under-fire Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq has been backed by one of Sir Keir Starmer’s most senior allies after she referred herself to the Prime Minister’s ethics tsar. The independent adviser on ministerial interests, Sir Laurie Magnus, is looking into Ms Siddiq – who has anti-corruption responsibilities in her role as Treasury economic secretary – over allegations about properties linked to her aunt’s political movement in Bangladesh.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said he had full confidence in Ms Siddiq and she had acted properly by referring herself to Sir Laurie. Ms Siddiq’s aunt is the former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled into exile after being deposed last year.
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. The minister was 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.
She has also come under intense scrutiny over her use of properties in London linked to her aunt’s allies. She was reportedly given an apartment in King’s Cross in 2004 by Abdul Motalif, an associate of members of the Awami League party in Bangladesh.
She had also reportedly lived in a flat in Hampstead, north London, which had been given to her sister by lawyer Moin Ghani, who had represented the Hasina administration. Mr McFadden, whose influence in government has led to him being dubbed the “real deputy prime minister”, was asked by Times Radio if he had full confidence in Ms Siddiq.
