Labour is blaming the team of Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus for the fact that he was snubbed by Starmer on his visit to London last month. Quite some line to take…
Lord Wharton asked the FCDO why the visit didn’t take place in a written question and was told by Jenny Chapman: “The travel plans of Chief Adviser Professor Yunus are a matter for the Government of Bangladesh.“ Not true…
Bangladeshi authorities told reporters before the trip that Yunus would be meeting Starmer. This was never confirmed by Downing Street or the FCDO. Internal UK sources told Guido that Starmer was intensely nervous about meeting Yunus in case the interim leader mentioned Tulip Siddiq. Yunus previously discussed a possible extradition of Siddiq, who is facing charges in Bangladesh, which she denies. Guido then revealed any meeting was swerved on the UK side…
Tulip Siddiq and her lawyers deny all wrongdoing. After Yunus met numerous figures in the UK including receiving an award from the King Starmer’s refusal to meet the leader sparked a diplomatic incident. Yunus was asked why Starmer had said no: “I don’t think we have received an explanation from that kind of thing. Probably he is busy with other important things.” Labour’s new excuse doesn’t come close to washing…
One day after Tulip Siddiq gave a piece to camera after handing Sky News the latest letter her lawyers sent to Bangladeshi authorities demanding the case against her be dropped, the Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangladesh has responded. Not mincing words…
Tulip, who along with her lawyers has always denied all wrongdoing, claimed she should be allowed to get on with her job as a London MP. The Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen said:
“My simple question is: What kind of case is Tulip Siddiq’s case that would make Britain’s fragile politics even more fragile? We can look at this differently. A criminal who commits a crime in a country must face it in that country. It now seems she probably wants to settle the case through exchanging letters. This shouldn’t happen. The case is in court. Tulip Siddiq must appear in court and face the case.”
Siddiq declined to say yesterday that she would go to Bangladesh to clear her name in the courts. She did claim the case against her was politically motivated. To this Momen said:
“This is neither a politically motivated case nor a case to belittle anyone. Tulip Siddiq is an accused, like many other accused individuals. We have many bigger cases than this. Tulip is a Bangladeshi citizen to us. She has a national identity card. She has a TIN. We have filed a case against her in Bangladesh. I believe Tulip will follow Bangladesh’s laws and face the case.”
Bangladeshi authorities have indicated that if Siddiq is unwilling to travel to Bangladesh to face charges they will file a red notice with Interpol. Momen raised an interesting point:
“Tulip knew everything from the beginning, which is why she had to step down from her ministerial position. There are three cases against Tulip. The trial will continue in her absence. Is British politics so fragile that the British government and politics will completely collapse if a case is filed against one of their citizens? Is that even possible?”
The MP has always denied that is the case. It looks increasingly unlikely Bangladeshi authorities will let up on Siddiq after her letter campaign…
Tulip Siddiq spoke at some length to Sky News’ Rob Powell on her doorstep this morning. Her lawyers are once again calling for what they call the “smear campaign” against her in Bangladesh to be dropped…
Sky was provided with a new letter from Tulip’s lawyers to Bangladeshi authorities asking them to drop their investigations. Siddiq told Powell that Bangladesh’s “baseless campaign” involves the Anti-Corruption Commission sending letters to “random” addresses in Bangladesh which they claim are associated with her and not to London. Bangladeshi authorities say they sent letters to Tulip’s alleged address in Dhaka…
Siddiq’s line is to point out she is an MP in London:
“Let go of this political vendetta and let me do my job which is being the MP for Hampstead and Highgate.”
She said the months-long investigation (and issue of charges) into her, which is part of a wider investigation into Sheikh Hasina and her family, is an “absolute waste of time and money… I will not be allowing them to drag me into their world of dirty politics.“ Siddiq denies all allegations against her…
When Siddiq was asked if she “would ever consider going to Bangladesh to try to clear your name and clear things up” the MP declined to answer. She instead claimed she wanted to show interim leader Muhammad Yunus what she showed Starmer’s ethics adviser Laurie Magnus along with “all her bank statements” when Yunus was in London recently. Unfortunately the Bangladesh ACC’s charges do not relate to the information collected and judged by Magnus in his “fact-finding mission” earlier this year…
Siddiq also declined to say she has any regret about “previous links or statements about the Awami League at all.” To that Tulip said: “I’m very proud to be the MP for Hampstead & Highgate.” Co-conspirators can make up their own minds…
Interim leader of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus is approaching the end of his four-day UK tour. He’s been busy meeting everyone apart from Starmer…
Yunus even had a 30-minute private audience with King Charles yesterday:
“The two discussed Bangladesh’s reform agenda and the country’s ongoing democratic transition — key priorities for the interim government that assumed office following an uprising in August 2024.”
Yunus received the prestigious King Charles Harmony Award, which was last year given to former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. He was given a signed photograph of Charles and Camilla as a personal gift…
A dinner held at St James’ Palace was attended by David Beckham, who was photographed talking to Yunus. Also in attendance: Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Stanley Tucci, Rod Stewart, Alan Titchmarsh…
He has met with Lindsay Hoyle in Speaker’s House for an official visit. His meeting with the government was with…. Jonathan Reynolds. In Parliament…
Guido revealed earlier this week that Starmer had refused to meet Yunus over his fears with regard to the live Tulip Siddiq situation. Siddiq for her part denies all wrongdoing. A series of excuses were given to the Bangladeshis…
Yunus’ representatives said earlier in the week: “What we know is that he is probably in Canada….. visiting Canada. A British parliamentarian came today and told us that he (Keir Starmer) is in Canada.“ Hilariously this time Starmer can’t use his jet-setting as an excuse – he is in Downing Street hosting Cobra meetings today and won’t leave for the G7 until the weekend. What’s he scared of?
The National Crime Agency is freezing further assets in its wide investigation into allies of deposed Bangladesh dictator Sheikh Hasina. It has confirmed this afternoon that 342 properties with a purchase cost of £185 million have been frozen after approval from the High Court…
The new raft of properties are linked to the former Bangladesh land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury – a close ally of Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus is in London and met with NCA officials yesterday along with Ahsan Mansur, head of the asset recovery task force, and anti-corruption commission chief Abdul Momen. The same Anti-Corruption Commission which has lodged charges against UK MP Tulip Siddiq…
Mansur said British co-operation from the NCA has been extensive:
“I must say the progress on the British front is very encouraging for us… They have good sources of information, and we are also supporting their actions . . . we are hopeful that more actions will be taken by the British authorities.”
NCA officials have travelled to Dhaka to help with early investigations. The Foreign Office is also working closely with the Bangladeshi government. Which makes it all the more bizarre that Starmer is refusing to meet the country’s leader in London this week…
The FT has followed Guido’s revelations earlier this week that Starmer has swerved a meeting with Yunus. Political sources say this is due to intense nervousness about the Tulip Siddiq situation. Siddiq for her part denies any wrongdoing and asked to meet Yunus, who refused. Yunus said: “We need the support from the people of Great Britain.” That Starmer has refused any meeting with Yunus despite the two governments working so closely is a diplomatic incident…
Guido pointed out this morning that the UK government has been strangely quiet on a mooted meeting with Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus. Yunus is in the UK this week: 9 – 13 June and Bangladeshi officials said a face-to-face with the PM would take place. Guido hears Starmer will not in fact meet him…
Yunus is meeting King Charles – whom he knows well – to receive the prestigious “Harmony Award 2025” at St James’s Palace on Thursday. It is extremely irregular for a meeting with our PM to be swerved on the UK side…
When Yunus entered power as interim leader last year this is what the UK government said:
“UK government warmly welcomes the appointment of H.E Professor Yunus and the interim government. The interim government has the UK’s full support as it works to restore peace and order, ensure accountability and promote national reconciliation.”
Starmer said as much in a letter to Yunus. Why then are they not meeting?
Recent internal political chatter has been focussed on intense nervousness with regard to any meeting mentioning Tulip Siddiq. Yunus has previously discussed a possible extradition of Siddiq, who is facing charges in Bangladesh…
Siddiq herself denies all wrongdoing. The Awami League party of Tulip’s aunt the ousted dictator Sheikh Hasina has written to Downing Street to express their displeasure at reports a meeting was on the cards. Starmer met with senior Awami League figures just months ago. This ongoing scandal raises extremely serious implications for the UK’s ability to conduct international diplomacy effectively…
Robert Jenrick on the Today programme:
“Can you now give a guarantee to your listeners this morning that no BBC presenter in the future will be exposed as a paedophile, as a number have been in the recent past? No, of course you can’t…”
