Keir Starmer urged to probe anti-corruption minister for being ‘gifted’ a flat by man linked to ousted dictator
SIR Keir Starmer is facing calls to investigate his own anti-corruption minister for being given a flat by a man linked to Bangladesh’s former PM.
City Minister Tulip Siddiq was given a two-bedroom flat near King’s Cross, in central London, free of charge in 2004.
It was donated by developer Abdul Motalif who is connected to the recently deposed Awami League party led by Ms Siddiq’s aunt Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for 15 years.
It has also been claimed that Ms Siddiq spent several years living in a separate flat gifted to her family by an ally of Sheikh Hasina.
Ms Siddiq has separately denied accusations in court documents of helping to embezzle up to £3.9billion from a nuclear energy project in Bangladesh.
Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty said the 2004 flat revelation “indicates just how long she has had a relationship with those associated with the Awami League”.
He added: “Keir Starmer cannot continue to ignore this issue. He must launch an investigation to ensure full transparency.”
Sheikh Hasina fled to India last year with Ms Siddiq’s mother after weeks of protests in which hundreds died.
A spokesman for Ms Siddiq said: “Any suggestion that Tulip Siddiq’s ownership of this property, or any other property, is in any way linked to support for the Awami League would be categorically wrong.”
A source added: “Following financial support provided by Tulip’s parents to an acquaintance during a challenging time in his life, he subsequently transferred a property he then owned into Tulip’s ownership as an act of gratitude for her parents’ support.”