Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq has referred herself to the Prime Minister’s ethics tsar following controversies over properties linked to her family and her aunt’s political movement in Bangladesh.
Sir Keir Starmer said Treasury economic secretary Ms Siddiq had “acted entirely properly” in referring herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards Sir Laurie Magnus.
Ms Siddiq has faced calls for an investigation following reports she lived in properties in London linked to allies of her aunt, former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Sir Keir said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”