20 July 2023 , 09:42
759
0
Coutts today hit back in its deepening row with Nigel Farage over closing his account.
The bank insisted it does not close customer accounts "solely on the basis of legally held political and personal views". The ex-UKIP leader has claimed his account was shut because of his opinions.
But, in a statement, the bank - which is owned by NatWest, hit back saying: “It is not Coutts' policy to close customer accounts solely on the basis of legally held political and personal views. Decisions to close an account are not taken lightly and involve a number of factors including commercial viability, reputational considerations, and legal and regulatory requirements.
"We recognise the critical importance of access to banking. When it became clear that our client was unable to secure banking facilities elsewhere, and as he has confirmed publicly, he was offered alternative banking facilities with NatWest. That offer stands.
"We understand the public concern that the processes for ending a customer relationship, and how that is communicated, are not sufficiently transparent."
Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade
The closure of Mr Farage's accounts sparked outrage among senior Tory MPs, who have piled pressure on Coutts and its owner NatWest.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said "this is wrong" and that "no one should be barred from using basic services for their political views". The Treasury is expected to announce plans as soon as next week to extend the notice time given to customers to close their accounts from one month to three months.
* Follow Mirror Politics on Snapchat, Tiktok, Twitter and Facebook.