Metro Bank Accused of Closing Reform UK Party's Bank Account Due to Support for Brexit
Metro Bank has been accused of closing a bank account belonging to the Reform UK party due to its support for Brexit.
The party's leader, Richard Tice, believes that his party has been caught up in the same debanking scandal that saw wealthy private bank Coutts cut ties with former UKIP leader Nigel Farage.
Tice revealed that Metro Bank closed his party's account in July 2021, and a letter sent to him at the time gave no reason for the closure.
Metro Bank has insisted that it is politically neutral, and a spokesperson stated that the bank does not close accounts due to an individual's political beliefs.
However, Tice has submitted a subject access request to discover the reasons behind the closure of his party's account.
Meanwhile, Farage has formally accused the NatWest Group of passing his personal and financial data to the BBC.
He has also complained to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) about the handling of his personal details by NatWest and its subsidiary, Coutts Bank.
A letter from Farage's lawyers to the ICO mentions a BBC news report that claimed he was losing his account at Coutts because he had fallen below a required £1m threshold.
Farage received a 40-page document from Coutts showing that he met the "criteria for commercial retention," but the bank wanted him to leave due to his views on LGBTQ+ rights and his friendship with former US President Donald Trump.
Farage's legal team wants the ICO to investigate and take action.
The Treasury has announced that banks will be forced to give customers three months' notice of account closures and to provide a full explanation of the reasons.
This move was prompted by the controversy surrounding Coutts' decision to cut ties with Farage.
The BBC has admitted that part of its reporting was inaccurate in light of the new evidence, and NatWest Group CEO Dame Alison Rose wrote to Farage to apologize for the bank's actions.
However, Farage's legal team stated that she did not apologize for information that was passed to the media, citing inadequate finances as the reason for the closure of his accounts.
In response to the controversy, Farage has called for a review of the bank
Tice revealed that Metro Bank closed his party's account in July 2021, and a letter sent to him at the time gave no reason for the closure.
Metro Bank has insisted that it is politically neutral, and a spokesperson stated that the bank does not close accounts due to an individual's political beliefs.
However, Tice has submitted a subject access request to discover the reasons behind the closure of his party's account.
Meanwhile, Farage has formally accused the NatWest Group of passing his personal and financial data to the BBC.
He has also complained to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) about the handling of his personal details by NatWest and its subsidiary, Coutts Bank.
A letter from Farage's lawyers to the ICO mentions a BBC news report that claimed he was losing his account at Coutts because he had fallen below a required £1m threshold.
Farage received a 40-page document from Coutts showing that he met the "criteria for commercial retention," but the bank wanted him to leave due to his views on LGBTQ+ rights and his friendship with former US President Donald Trump.
Farage's legal team wants the ICO to investigate and take action.
The Treasury has announced that banks will be forced to give customers three months' notice of account closures and to provide a full explanation of the reasons.
This move was prompted by the controversy surrounding Coutts' decision to cut ties with Farage.
The BBC has admitted that part of its reporting was inaccurate in light of the new evidence, and NatWest Group CEO Dame Alison Rose wrote to Farage to apologize for the bank's actions.
However, Farage's legal team stated that she did not apologize for information that was passed to the media, citing inadequate finances as the reason for the closure of his accounts.
In response to the controversy, Farage has called for a review of the bank
