Nigel Farage accuses Coutts of lying over bank closure
Natwest Bank has formally apologised to Nigel Farage following days of a high-profile media storm.
Mr Farage was exited as a customer of Coutts last month and began a campaign to change rules around freedom of speech and a right to a bank account.
In a letter to Mr Farage, Alison Rose, the CEO of Natwest - which owns Coutts Bank - said: "I am writing to apologise for the deeply inappropriate comments about yourself made in the now published papers prepared for the Wealth Committee.
Alison Rose said the views expressed in the 40-page memo acquired by Mr Farage "do not reflect the view of the bank".
She added: "I believe very strongly that freedom of expression and access to banking are fundamental to our society and it is absolutely not our policy to exit a customer on the basis of legally held political and personal views.
"To this end, I would also like to personally reiterate our offer to you of alternate banking arrangements at Natwest."
In a statement, Mr Farage hit back: "Dame Alison Rose’s apology is a start, but it is no more than that.
"She needs to take responsibility as CEO, and is wrong to say the views of her own committee’s report don’t reflect the bank.
"I will now defend thousands of other people that have been de-banked on her watch."
A source told the Daily Express that a senior executive at Coutts told Mr Farage that the issue had been "taken out of their hands" before the decision to close his account was made.
READ MORE: The 'woke Stasi' at banks like NatWest could come after you next - NIGEL FARAGE
Coutts could be set to apologise to Nigel Farage (Image: Getty)
On July 4 Coutts sources briefed the BBC's Simon Jack they hadn't closed Mr Farage's account because of his political views, but because he had fallen below their ￡1 million wealth threshold.
Bombshell evidence revealed by Nigel Farage this week, however, seemed to disprove that claim.
Mr Farage submitted a Subject Access Request to the bank, a legal means by which you can force a company to hand over their data about you.
The document he received showed an extensive briefing about his pro-Brexit, pro-Donald Trump views, as well as accusing him of having links with Russia.
Last night the Telegraph revealed that the BBC's Simon Jack sat next to Natwest chief executive Dame Alison Rose at a dinner in London the night before he published the banks' counterclaims about Mr Farage's wealth being insufficient.
Mr Jack and the BBC are yet to apologise or amend their original claims.
Don't miss...
EU backs down in Falkland Islands row as Rishi Sunak blasts 'unacceptable' move [INSIGHT]
Kwasi Kwarteng and Liz Truss pocketed huge payouts after quitting government [REPORT]
When do we get by-elections results? Full timeline as Tories facing 3 defeats [LATEST]
？？？？？？ Well informed City sources say NatWest CEO Alison Rose is preparing to apologise to @Nigel_Farage for them/they’s mishandling of his account closure ？？？？？？
— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) July 20, 2023
？？？？？？ Well informed City sources say NatWest CEO Alison Rose is preparing to apologise to @Nigel_Farage for them/they’s mishandling of his account closure ？？？？？？
— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) July 20, 2023
？？？？？？ Well informed City sources say NatWest CEO Alison Rose is preparing to apologise to @Nigel_Farage for them/they’s mishandling of his account closure ？？？？？？
— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) July 20, 2023
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
Yesterday pressure on the bank ramped up further when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak intervened on the side of Mr Farage.
Mr Sunak said Coutts' actions had been "wrong" and insisted banks must back freedom of speech.
He tweeted: "No one should be barred from using basic services for their political views. Free speech is the cornerstone of our democracy."
It came after two Tory MPs raised the row at Prime Minister's Questions.
Trending
Jacob Rees-Mogg asked: "Does my Rt Hon friend share my unease that a bank that has the Government as its largest shareholder should close the account of a senior opposition politician?"
"Will he use the Government’s shareholding to ensure there is an inquiry into these circumstances, because the subject access data request makes it clear, or certainly indicates, that it is the person concerned’s political views that led to his cancellation? And does my Rt Hon friend agree with me that however much we may find them tiresome, members of the opposition deserve bank accounts?"
The Government is planning financial services reforms to crack down on politicians being unfairly blacklisted for banking services.
Related articles Nigel Farage made Sunak sweat more in PMQs than Starmer and he wasn't even there MPs move to oust Ellwood from Commons role with unprecedented no confidence vote BMA official for striking doctors was Gordon Brown adviser when Labour froze pay Nigel Farage's fury over Conservative peer who chairs 'woke' Coutts bank Falkland Islands lashes out at EU and savages 'hostile neighbour Argentina'