A row has erupted between Nigel Farage and the BBC over the broadcaster’s reporting on the closure of his bank accounts.
The former UKIP leader has called for a BBC reporter to apologise for reporting that his accounts were shut because of a lack of money, not his political views, as Mr Farage had claimed.
It comes after Mr Farage obtained documents which he says show prestigious private bank Coutts decided to close his account because his views “do not align with our values”.
The former leader of the UK Independence Party (Ukip) said he got hold of a report from the bank’s reputational risk committee used to justify the closure via a subject access request.
Writing in The Telegraph, he said: “I believe Coutts targeted me on personal and political grounds, for its report reads rather like a pre-trial brief drawn up by the prosecution in a case against a career criminal.”
On Wednesday, Mr Farage took to Twitter to call for an apology from the BBC and its business editor Simon Jack, who cited sources at Coutts claiming the accounts were closed after falling below the required financial threshold. Coutts requires clients to maintain at least £1m in investments or borrowing, or hold £3m in savings, to be eligible for an account.
Mr Jack’s sources told him he was even offered a regular account at NatWest – which owns Coutts – instead.
Mr Farage said: “Will Simon Jack and BBC News be apologising for their reporting on this story?
“The BBC must correct their original story about me. I will be making a complaint.”
He added that Mr Jack’s “mealy-mouthed” re-posting of a statement put out by Coutts was “not enough”.
The statement said: “Our ability to respond is restricted by our obligations of client confidentiality. Decisions to close accounts are not taken lightly and take into account a number of factors including commercial viability, reputational considerations, and legal and regulatory requirements.
“As the client has previously confirmed, alternative banking arrangements have been offered within the wider group.”
Energy secretary Grant Shapps waded into the row, saying it was “absolutely disgraceful” for Coutts.
He told Sky News: “”I don’t have to agree with everything Nigel Farage says to recognise that free speech is a very important part of our domestic life.
“What has happened with some of these banks through this regime, which is known as the PEP regime, or politically exposed people, is really actually scandalous.
“People shouldn’t have their bank accounts closed because of their political or any other view. And banks shouldn’t be refusing to open accounts on that basis as well.
“Yet there is a very long-running problem within this country where banks are misapplying the guidance and rules. And not just closing accounts, but refusing to open them in the first place, and that should not be the case.”
Mr Nigel Farage went on to warn there is a danger of the UK moving towards a “Chinese-style social credit system”.
He is planning on Wednesday to release 40 pages of documents that he obtained after making a subject access request to Coutts.
