LABOUR stood by former City minister Tulip Siddiq after a Bangladeshi court sentenced her to two years in prison for corruption over a government land project today.

Rabiul Alam, the judge of Dhaka’s Special Judge’s Court, said that the MP was guilty of corruptly influencing her aunt, ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in helping her mother get a piece of land in a government project.

Ms Hasina was said to have misused her power as prime minister and was jailed for five years while Ms Siddiq’s mother, Sheikh Rehana, was given seven years in prison and was reportedly considered the prime participant in the case.

The three women are out of the country and were tried in absentia.

Following the verdict, she said in a statement: “This whole process has been flawed and farcical from the beginning to the end.

“The outcome of this kangaroo court is as predictable as it is unjustified. I hope this so-called ‘verdict’ will be treated with the contempt it deserves.

“My focus has always been my constituents in Hampstead and Highgate and I refuse to be distracted by the dirty politics of Bangladesh.”

Ms Siddiq resigned from her ministerial job in the Treasury earlier this year following an investigation by the Prime Minister’s ethics adviser into her links to Ms Hasina’s regime, which was overthrown last year.

Sir Laurie Magnus concluded that she had not breached the ministerial code but advised Sir Keir Starmer to reconsider her responsibilities.

Ms Siddiq resigned saying that she had become “a distraction” from the government’s agenda.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “As has been reported, highly regarded senior legal professionals have highlighted that Tulip Siddiq has not had access to a fair legal process in this case and has never been informed of the details of the charges against her.

“This is despite repeated requests made to the Bangladeshi authorities through her legal team.

“Anyone facing any charge should always be afforded the right to make legal representations when allegations are made against them.

“Given that has not happened in this case, we cannot recognise this judgement.”

Cabinet minister Darren Jones said Ms Siddiq had made it clear that she denies “any wrongdoing whatsoever.”

Britain does not have an extradition treaty in place with Bangladesh.