Re: The Bank of Farage
 

She didn't have to discuss (and lie) about his account.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

Of course.

However the BBC at the same time didn’t have to spin it beyond what she claims she said. Given the current climate at the BBC it’s difficult to believe their journalistic claims of integrity.

The BBC have been unscrupulous throughout this entire process selectively reporting by omitting Coutts own reasoning: commercial ones.

Even today the City Minister has been allowed to imply - unchallenged - that the decision was for political reasons.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/business-66296935
(7.13 time stamp)

This will send a shiver through the spine of our financial sector that Government interference in commercial matters may not be too far away if it impacts their cronies. While of course the Government is a huge shareholder in Natwest, it’s not because we have a penchant for state intervention it was the only thing preventing them from collapse. Until now seemingly, for overtly political reasons.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

A bizarre conclusion.

She wanted to influence BBC reporting of an unfolding scandal affecting her company, played the anonymous briefing game and lost. As did the BBC, for trusting her. Hence apologies all round earlier this week.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

Presumably the BBC had a second source? Or do the rules only apply to reporting in some cases but not others. If there’s no second source why do we have to take their word for how it’s been reported on the basis of one - anonymously.

They’ve played fast and loose with their own rules and got their journalist and source burned. An error so egregious one can only question whether it was intentional - either on behalf of Farage, or the Government who are out batting for Farage.

The state broadcaster going out their way to further Government and their cronies interests is something more worthy of Putin’s Russia than a democracy. Optics that can be only damaging to “global Britain”. Your investments and commercial decisions are only good so long as with a nudge and a wink the right people get the right outcomes.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

I'm no fan of the BBC or any MSM, but the decision to debank Farage was political.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

I don’t believe it is to be honest, his mortgage ends and he no longer met the criteria. They decided the additional costs of keeping him on the books (economic considerations in the dossier) meant it wasn’t viable to keep him on. A bread and butter financial decision for any capitalist entity. It’s there in black and white.

All the while this schadenfreude distracts from the fact every other bank he’s approached turned him down. Did all of them vote remain?

If binning Farage for political reasons was a thing why not ten years ago?

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

lie? do we know that he met the criteria? I do not think he did after he paid off his mortgage. Proof anyone?

Otherwise, I am appalled with Coutts's behaviour.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

We've seen the documents. They decided they didn't want his business because of the reputational risk. However, she told the BBC it was because he didn't meet the income threshold, even though he did.

It's pretty simple to me. She lied.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

Did he meet the criteria? Yes or no. Proof?

That's the question.

I agree with the rest.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

A large part of the discussion document was purely political. If the decision wasn't political, why discuss political matters unless they were to be relevant to any decision making process?
The reason for now rather than earlier, is a change of policy by NatWest to be more "inclusive" etc.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

The documents Farage obtained said it was a decision based on this public perception with no mention he didn't meet the threshold. The BBC apologised for that story, the bank apologised, and the woman who leaked to the BBC apologised and resigned.

Seems pretty clear the story was wrong.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

The documents Hugh linked to clearly say he doesn’t meet the threshold once his mortgage expires, and redacts his “economic contribution” to the bank.

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

Now Nige wants the entire NatWest Board to resign…

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

Then the Financial Conduct Authority, then the Chancellor, then the Government, then everyone else in world .....

Re: The Bank of Farage
 

NatWest are offering him a bank account where many institutions have not. What he isn’t being offered is the prestige or status he seeks.

---------- Post added at 12:27 ---------- Previous post was at 11:50 ----------

Now we are getting somewhere:

BBC live feed at 12.00
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/business-66296935

With an exodus of Conservative MPs from their jobs in the next 18 months they’re concerned for their own status and want to use the dying embers of the Sunak administration to legislate to protect themselves.

I wonder how the other 61% of NatWest shareholders feel being used as a political football by a corrupt Government.