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Tulip Siddiq, the Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn (formerly Hampstead and Highgate), has held her parliamentary seat since 2015. With Labour’s return to power in July, she was appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister, placing her at the helm of the UK’s financial services sector.
A niece of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister, Siddiq’s family history is deeply intertwined with her country of origin. Sheikh Hasina was ousted earlier this year during a pro-democracy uprising. Recently, Siddiq has faced scrutiny as her family has been implicated in allegations of embezzling nearly £4 billion from Bangladeshi infrastructure projects. A source close to Siddiq dismissed these allegations as “trumped-up charges.”
A Family Legacy
Siddiq’s father was a university professor in Dhaka, and her mother, Sheikh Hasina’s sister, was granted political asylum in the UK following political turmoil. Siddiq was raised in Hampstead, where her family embraced multiculturalism, integrating into the local Jewish community. Her maternal grandfather, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was Bangladesh’s first president but was tragically assassinated in 1975 alongside most of his family during a military coup. Her mother and aunt survived as they were abroad at the time.
Early Influences and Entry into Politics
Exposed to figures like Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, and Mother Teresa as a child, Siddiq’s global upbringing inspired her political aspirations. She joined the Labour Party at 16, motivated by her admiration for the NHS and the care it provided her disabled father. Barbara Castle, a trailblazing cabinet minister, remains her political heroine.
Before entering Parliament, Siddiq worked with Amnesty International, Save the Children, and the Greater London Authority. By 2010, she was deeply involved in Ed Miliband’s successful campaign for Labour leadership and served as a special adviser to Tessa Jowell.
Political Milestones
Siddiq’s election to Parliament in 2015 followed her time as a Camden councillor and her selection as Labour’s candidate to succeed Glenda Jackson. She has since been re-elected in 2017, 2019, and 2024 with increasing majorities.
In 2016, she was appointed Shadow Education Minister but resigned three months later to vote against triggering Brexit, showcasing her principled approach to politics. Siddiq is perhaps best known for her tireless campaigning for the release of her constituent, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was detained in Iran for six years.
Controversies and Achievements
Siddiq faced criticism in 2017 during a campaign for Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release when she was questioned about her aunt’s alleged authoritarian governance in Bangladesh. Her interaction with a journalist during this period drew complaints, prompting Siddiq to issue an apology.
A trailblazer for working mothers in politics, Siddiq made headlines in 2019 when she attended a crucial Brexit vote in a wheelchair just two days before giving birth. Later that month, she became the first MP to vote by proxy after a rule change.
Looking Ahead
Now serving as Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Siddiq is poised to influence the UK’s financial landscape significantly. Her journey from Hampstead to the halls of power exemplifies resilience, determination, and a commitment to public service, despite the challenges and controversies she has faced along the way.
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