Labour MP, Tuliq Siddiq, has apologised for her comments to a pregnant Channel 4 journalist that allegedly seemed to be “threatening”.
The MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, had attended a rally in support of the British mother, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, jailed in Iran. The MP has been a big supporter and campaigner for Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release, who is also Saddiq's constituent. At the rally, the Channel 4 journalist had questioned the MP regarding the British-trained lawyer, Ahmad bin Quasem, who was allegedly abducted by Bangladesh's government securtiy forces in 2016. The journalist asked whether the MP intended to campaign for the lawyer as well, to which the MP warned the journalist saying, “be very careful what you're saying- I'm a British MP,” before telling the pregnant journalist, “Hope you have a great birth, because child labour is hard.”
MP Tulip Siddiq, whose aunt, Sheikh Hasina is the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, released a statement apologising for her comments. She said, “I want to apologise unreservedly for my comments to Channel 4's producer, which were off-hand and ill-judged attempt to deal with what I felt was a hostile situation. I would never want to upset her and I hope she accepts my apology. The face that some members of my family are involved in politics in Bangladesh has been a matter of public record which I have not hidden from. That said, I have no capability or desire to influence politics in Bangladesh.”
Although the MP claims not to have any influence to the politics in Bangladesh, Tulip Siddiq was listed as a delegate of Bangladesh at the 66th UN general assembly in 2011. It is said that the Labour MP has previously campaigned with her aunt in Bangladesh and written about her happiness over her aunt's victory in blog posts which have been deleted. It is also suggested that she had described herself as the spokeswoman of for the Awami League, the ruling party.
