The Labour MP’s lawyers say claims are ‘politically motivated’
Labour MP Tulip Siddiq has strenuously denied any wrongdoing after media reports emerged suggesting a Bangladeshi court has issued an arrest warrant for her in connection with a corruption investigation.
Ms Siddiq’s legal team said the claims were “entirely false” and “politically motivated”, insisting that she had not been informed of any such warrant. The allegations, linked to an alleged illegal acquisition of land in Dhaka, have been making rounds in Bangladeshi media, though the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has yet to provide official confirmation or comment.
According to reports, the ACC sought an arrest warrant against Ms Siddiq on Sunday over claims she unlawfully received a 7,200-square-foot plot of land in the capital. The MP, who previously served as City minister under the Labour Government, is also reported to have been named in a separate investigation involving her aunt, the former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and a controversial nuclear power plant deal.
In a statement released on Monday, Ms Siddiq’s lawyers said:
“The ACC has made various allegations against Ms Siddiq through the media in the last few months. The allegations are completely false and have been dealt with in writing by Ms Siddiq’s lawyers.”
They added:
“The ACC has not responded to Ms Siddiq or put any allegations to her directly or through her lawyers. Ms Siddiq knows nothing about a hearing in Dhaka relating to her and she has no knowledge of any arrest warrant that is said to have been issued.”
The statement went on to say there was “no basis at all” for any charges to be made against her, stressing that she has never owned land in Bangladesh nor sought to influence any land allocations.
“No evidence has been provided by the ACC to support this or any other allegation made against Ms Siddiq, and it is clear to us that the charges are politically motivated,” the legal team said.
Earlier this year, Ms Siddiq resigned from her ministerial post at the Treasury after an investigation by the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, explored her familial links to Sheikh Hasina’s regime.
While Sir Laurie concluded she had not breached the Ministerial Code, he did advise Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to reconsider Siddiq’s role due to the potential reputational risk.
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“Given the nature of Ms Siddiq’s ministerial responsibilities, which include the promotion of the UK financial services sector… it is regrettable that she was not more alert to the potential reputational risks,” Sir Laurie wrote in his report.
Ms Siddiq subsequently resigned, citing a desire not to distract from the Government’s priorities.
The Conservative Party has now called for further action in light of the reported warrant. A spokesperson said:
“If Ms Siddiq is the subject of an arrest warrant in Bangladesh, she should immediately stand down as a Labour MP.”
The ACC has not issued a public statement, and British authorities have not confirmed whether any formal warrant or extradition request has been communicated through official channels.
The situation threatens to become a diplomatic flashpoint, particularly given Ms Siddiq’s high-profile status as a British MP and the familial ties to Bangladesh’s former leadership. Her legal representatives maintain that any proceedings against her would be unjustified and grounded more in political manoeuvring than in fact.
The Labour Party has not yet commented formally on the latest developments.
