Tulip Siddiq has said allegations by Bangladeshi authorities against her are a “politically motivated smear campaign” and insisted there is “no evidence that I’ve done anything wrong”.
Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has sought an arrest warrant on Sunday over allegations Ms Siddiq illegally received a 7,200 square feet plot of land in the country’s capital, Dhaka, according to media reports.
The allegation is said to be separate from an investigation into Ms Siddiq’s aunt, the former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, regarding a nuclear power plant deal in which the Labour MP has also been named.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, the Hampstead and Highgate Labour MP said: “No-one from the Bangladeshi authorities has contacted me.
“The entire time they’ve done trial by media.
“My lawyers proactively wrote to the Bangladeshi authorities, they never responded.
“I’m sure you’ll understand I can’t dignify this politically motivated smear campaign with any … comments.
“It’s a completely politically motivated smear campaign, trying to harass me – there is no evidence that I’ve done anything wrong.”
Ms Siddiq resigned from her post in the Treasury earlier this year following an investigation by the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser into her links to her aunt’s regime, which was overthrown last year.
Although Sir Laurie Magnus concluded that she had not breached the Ministerial Code, he advised Sir Keir Starmer to reconsider Ms Siddiq’s responsibilities.
But Ms Siddiq chose to resign, saying she had become “a distraction” from the Government’s agenda.
