Investigators in Bangladesh demand Tulip Siddiq’s bank account details
Anti-money laundering officials in Bangladesh have demanded bank account details for Tulip Siddiq, the UK anti-corruption minister, in the latest escalation of the inquiries into her family’s financial interests.The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), which investigates money laundering and suspicious transactions, wrote to the country’s main banks on Tuesday asking them to provide account details for Siddiq and seven of her family members.Officials also asked for the bank account details of Siddiq’s aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who was deposed as Bangladesh’s prime minister last year after widespread protests against her rule.Siddiq’s mother, her sister and her brother were also named in the request, which has been seen by the Guardian.Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission has begun an investigation into whether Siddiq, a close ally of the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, helped embezzle billions of pounds as part of a deal for a Russian-funded nuclear power plant.
Siddiq was pictured alongside her aunt and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in 2013 but has denied allegations that she helped broker a deal with Moscow to build the project,A spokesperson for Siddiq said: “No evidence has been presented for these allegations,Tulip has not been contacted by anyone on the matter and totally refutes the claims,”Allies say she holds only UK bank accounts, but could not say if that had always been the case,However, Bangladeshi officials confirmed they had issued a directive to all of the country’s banks and financial institutions to share the account information and transaction details of the seven family members and their associated businesses.
Siddiq, 42, has been under pressure for several weeks over claims about her links to the former Bangladeshi government.On Monday she referred herself to the ministerial standards watchdog after it was alleged she had lived in properties in London that had been paid for by people tied to her aunt’s party.She told Laurie Magnus, the prime minister’s independent adviser on ministerial interests: “In recent weeks I have been the subject of media reporting, much of it inaccurate, about my financial affairs and my family’s links to the former government of Bangladesh.“I am clear that I have done nothing wrong.However, for the avoidance of doubt, I would like you to independently establish the facts about these matters.
”Last week it was revealed that a flat she owns in King’s Cross, central London, was paid for by Abdul Motalif, a developer with links to members of Hasina’s party, the Awami League,Siddiq took ownership of that property in 2004 without paying for it,Over the weekend it was also reported that she had lived in a property in Hampstead that was paid for by Moin Ghani, a lawyer who represented Hasina’s government, and transferred to Siddiq’s sister,Siddiq is renting a £2,1m home in East Finchley owned by Abdul Karim, an executive member of the UK wing of the Awami League.
Downing Street has continued to back Siddiq, whose Hampstead and Highgate constituency in north London borders Starmer’s own.A No 10 spokesperson said on Tuesday: “[Siddiq] is clear that she’s done nothing wrong.However, for the avoidance of doubt, she would like the independent adviser to independently establish the facts about these matters.“Clearly, it will be up to the independent adviser now to take forward the fact finding and determine what information he needs, and we’ll provide an update at the end of that.”Magnus could also investigate whether Siddiq misled journalists at the Mail on Sunday by denying that the King’s Cross flat had been bought by Motalif, claiming instead it had been given to her by her parents.
A No 10 spokesperson said the adviser would be able to set the scope of his own inquiries.Hasina came to power in 2009, with her regime later facing accusations of authoritarianism, human rights abuses and corruption.She resigned and fled the country last year after days of protests led by student activists, in which hundreds of people died.The Observer revealed in November that Bangladeshi investigators believe a handful of powerful families and businesses linked to the Awami League party acquired billions of pounds by illicit means and siphoned the money out of the country.Siddiq has previously denied being connected to the Bangladeshi government, despite evidence showing members of the Awami League’s UK arm campaigning for her in previous elections.
The care taskforce needs boldness, not buzzwords | Letters
The announcement of a new commission on social care has been met with an audible sigh from commentators, family carers and people needing care and support (Ministers plan biggest shake-up of adult social care in England for decades, 3 January). We’ve all been here before, built up expectations of reform and dared to hope things would change, only to face disappointment through the inaction of successive governments. There is little to inspire confidence that this time will be different. But could it be?The appointment of Louise Casey to chair the commission is to be welcomed – she has a track record of cutting through the weeds and delivering unequivocal conclusions and recommendations. But it’s a massive challenge given the repeated failures of past commissions and policy endeavour
Tell us how you have been affected by the winter flu crisis in England
The rise in people with flu being admitted to hospital in England quadrupled last month with at least a dozen hospitals declaring critical incidents. Other pressures on the NHS include Covid, norovirus and chronic issues such as a lack of available beds.Health services issue critical incident declarations when their services become so overwhelmed they struggle to deliver critical services, risking patient safety. Hospitals in Birmingham, Cornwall, Hampshire, Liverpool, Northamptonshire and Plymouth are among those affected.We want to hear from patients who have experienced flu this winter and what it has been like getting treatment
‘Get this done’: Andrew Dilnot attacks three-year plan for English social care
Downing Street’s plan to spend three years preparing a blueprint to overhaul England’s social care is “inappropriate” given the urgency of the crisis facing frail, ill and disabled people, a leading care expert has told MPs.Sir Andrew Dilnot, the architect of previous government-commissioned attempts to reform adult social care funding, said that with clear backing from Keir Starmer, new plans could feasibly be in place by the end of the year.“I think it’s so blindingly – excuse my language – bleedin’ obvious that something should be done here, that, in the end, in an intelligent, affluent, civilised society, we get this done,” Dilnot said.Appearing before the Commons health and social care committee on Wednesday, he urged ministers to speed up the reform process: “I think it’s perfectly, perfectly feasible for the government to expect … by the end of 2025, to say: ‘Actually, we know what needs to be done, this is what we’re going to do.’”He added that he thought reform would not happen unless the proposed changes received political backing from the very top – and he urged the prime minister to “get behind” the changes
What is driving the winter flu crisis in England?
At least a dozen hospitals have declared critical incidents as the rise in flu admissions and respiratory illnesses has led to “exceptionally high demands”.Health services issue critical incident declarations when their services become so overwhelmed they struggle to deliver critical services, risking patient safety. Hospitals in Birmingham, Cornwall, Hampshire, Liverpool, Northamptonshire and Plymouth are among those affected, after figures reveal the number of people admitted to hospital in England with flu quadrupled last month.We take a look at what is driving the crisis, and whether the situation is likely to be repeated next winter.Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) suggests flu levels and hospital admissions are higher than this time last year
Tories’ push for new grooming inquiry would ‘kill’ child safety bill, says Phillipson
The Conservatives’ push for a new national grooming inquiry that would block the child safety bill is “absolutely sickening”, Bridget Phillipson has said.The education secretary said the opposition party’s plan to amend the government’s children wellbeing and schools bill on Wednesday, which she called the “single biggest piece of children safeguarding legislation in a generation”, would “kill it stone dead”.The amendment Kemi Badenoch’s party will bring forward will call for ministers to establish a “national statutory inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation, focused on grooming gangs”.It follows Elon Musk’s calls for a new inquiry into child grooming gangs, even though an independent investigation led by Prof Alexis Jay concluded its work in 2022.None of its recommendations have been enacted, but Keir Starmer has vowed to do so instead of launching a new inquiry
NHS trusts declare critical incidents due to ‘exceptionally high demands’ in A&E
A number of NHS trusts have declared critical incidents due to “exceptionally high demands” in emergency departments, with a patient at one hospital forced to wait 50 hours to be admitted to a ward. Hospitals in Birmingham, Cornwall, Hampshire, Liverpool, Northamptonshire and Plymouth have declared critical incidents. East Sussex hospitals trust announced it is temporarily limiting visiting to one visitor per patient per day to reduce the impact of flu. It said in a statement: “This includes those accompanying people waiting in our emergency department. “Exemptions apply to end-of-life care, our special care baby unit and when visiting children under 16
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