Tulip Siddiq insists ‘no evidence’ of improper conduct as minister resigns over Bangladesh questions: Live

On Monday, it emerged that Labour Party posters and political flyers for Trulip Siddiq were found in the ruins of the ransacked official residence of the deposed Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is Ms Siddiq’s aunt.

The property, located in Dakha, Bangladesh, also contained Chanel and Swarovski bags, a certificate for a diamond and a $1,500 gold-trimmed Montblanc pen, The Times reported.

There had been growing calls for Sir Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch saying: “He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.

“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”

Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq has resigned from her post in Sir Keir Starmer’s government, after referring herself to the independent adviser on ministers’ interests.

Here is her resignation letter in full:

Tulip Siddiq has said that parliament’s standards watchdog Sir Laurie Magnus found that she did not breach the ministerial code, as she tendered her resignation as Sir Keir Starmer’s City minister.

In her resignation letter to the Prime Minister, in full below, Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq thanked Sir Keir Starmer for the “confidence” he has shown her but said her continuing in post “is likely to be a distraction”.

She said: “Having conducted an in-depth review of the matter at my request, Sir Laurie has confirmed that I have not breached the Ministerial Code. As he notes, there is no evidence to suggest that I have acted improperly in relation to the properties I have owned or lived in.

“My family connections are a matter of public record, and when I became a minister I provided the full details of my relationships and private interests to the Government.

“However it is clear that continuing in my role as Economic Secretary to the Treasury is likely to be a distraction from the work of Government. My loyalty is and always will be to this Labour Government and the programme of national renewal and transformation it has embarked upon. I have therefore decided to resign from my ministerial position.”

Tulip Siddiq has resigned as City minister after finding herself at the centre of a Bangladesh anti-corruption probe in relation to properties allegedly linked to her aunt’s former regime.

The Labour minister tendered her resignation to Keir Starmer saying her position had become a distraction.

She is the second minister to go in six months, after former transport secretary Louise Haigh.

The Treasury minister, who is responsible for tackling financial crime, is being investigated by standards watchdog Sir Laurie Magnus after reports that Ms Siddiq lived in properties in London linked to allies of the deposed prime minister.

Ms Siddiq referred herself to Sir Laurie on Monday last week. In a letter asking for an investigation to be opened, she maintained she had done nothing wrong.

Kate Devlin and Millie Cooke have more details in this breaking report:

Protesters could be heard shouting outside the gates of Downing Street as Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the prime minister of Iraq to No 10.

One could be heard to shout “are you gambling with our lives?” while others chanted.

Inside No 10, Sir Keir told his counterpart Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani it was a privilege to welcome him and that he hoped it would be the first of many visits.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has hit back after criticism of her claims that “peasants” from “sub-communities” in foreign countries were to blame for the grooming gangs crisis.

No 10 said the prime minister would not have used the same language, while Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer accused the Tory leader of Islamophobia.

But Ms Badenoch wrote on X: “Interesting to see the Prime Minister’s spokesman weighing in to defend the groomers and rapists against tough language. If some of these people had spent less time worrying about causing offence and more time focused on protecting the vulnerable we’d be in a better place.”

Sir Keir Starmer was praised in a crossparty home affairs committee report in 2013 for his work as director of public prosecutions to improve the processes for bringing such cases to justice.

The report said: “Mr Starmer has striven to improve the treatment of victims of sexual assault within the criminal justice system throughout his term as Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).”

Kemi Badenoch has been accused of Islamophobia after blaming “peasants” from “sub-communities” in foreign countries for the grooming gangs crisis.

“These comments are shockingly offensive and irresponsible,” Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer told The Independent. “Kemi Badenoch is the leader of the opposition – she should know better than to peddle this backwards Islamophobia which only leads to division and hatred in our communities, and drives support for the far right.”

She added: “I hope to see senior Conservatives distancing themselves from Badenoch’s comments this morning – as politicians we all have a responsibility to our communities to stop a dangerous race to the bottom in how we speak about these issues.”

Jessica Coates and Millie Cooke have the full report:

The chancellor insisted she was leaving “no stone unturned” to secure growth and improving living standards, after returning from her visit to China.

Rachel Reeves said it was impossible to grow the economy quickly after 14 years of Conservative Government, in response to a question in the Commons from Reform UK’s Richard Tice.

She said: “Growth is the number one mission of this Labour Government. But the truth is it is not possible to turn things around quickly after 14 years of lacklustre growth and declining living standards from the party opposite.

“But we are leaving no stone unturned, which is why last week in China we secured £600m worth of tangible benefits for the UK economy, helping great British businesses exporting overseas.”