Lovetopaint037 Coutts has been involved in money laundering scandals and tax evasion, mainly through its Swiss arm.
Good Morning Thursday 7th May 2026
I think someone got out of the wrong side of the bed
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News & politics
Careful what you say, or you may end up without any banking facilities.
(480 Posts)The DT headline news today is that Nigel Farage's bank, Coutts, unilaterally shut down his bank account with them, not, as they said originally because his assets fell below a minimum figure but because:
He doesn't align with our values He is seen as zenophobic and racist. He is considered by many to be a disingenuous grifter. Being associated with NF represents a material and ongoing reputaional risk to the bank
So now you know, we have a a new set of self-appointed censors in the land. Hold the wrong political views - and thats it, your bank account will be closed down.
And why should they stop at political views? Will the banks start closing the bank accounts of any one with contentious ethical or religious views, or because they are in the public eye for some aspect of their behaviour.
Will Huw Edwards, Philip Schofield, Katie Price, Prince Harry have their bank accounts closed down because the banks, who daily process millions, if not billions of £s for drug dealers, corrupt members of corrupt regimes, whose people starve while they stash £millions away in secret bank accounts, consider that the above named ^do not align with their values'
Who gave the banks, and when, the right to censor what we do and what we think and withdraw, that absolute essential of life today - a bank account - because someone's political or other views offend their delicate consciences?
"Careful what you say, or you may end up without any banking facilities".
This thread headline is misleading. Farage was offered a Nat West account, so he isn't left "without banking facilities". He just won't have access to privileged banking with this particular bank. Privileged treatment isn't a right, although those with an entitled mindset like Farage may believe so.
Courts say that they are legally constricted in how they respond to Farage's accusations (something Farage knows).
So why doesn't Farage just put the full document into the public domain, rather than selectively fillet and thus distort it for his own advantage?
fancythat
*So the state has no business interfering in banking activities.*
I assume the state should and does.
Yes of course, but the state would have no business telling Coutts who its customers should be, its business model is based on a certain type of depositor. In the current system it is perfectly entitled to do so, and that will not be changed very soon.
Blossoming
Lovetopaint037 Coutts has been involved in money laundering scandals and tax evasion, mainly through its Swiss arm.
Name me a bank in Switzerland who hasn’t.
So why doesn't Farage just put the full document into the public domain, rather than selectively fillet and thus distort it for his own advantage?
He has, has he not?
The black out bits are bits that Farage is no allowed to see I presume.
Whitewavemark2
Blossoming
Lovetopaint037 Coutts has been involved in money laundering scandals and tax evasion, mainly through its Swiss arm.
Name me a bank in Switzerland who hasn’t.
“They’re all doing it” doesn’t make it alright.
When I was involved in something, half of what came back was blacked out. I dont know what the rules are on that.
But there was enough left that it was enough to make the case for someone. Thankfully.
Swiss banks hold deposits for some of the worst despots and crooks, Coutts along with many other UK banks would have been involved to some extent in the past, unlikely now, regulations are tighter.
EU regulations are even tighter than ours, which was one of the reasons that The City wanted Brexit.
Aren’t bank accounts private? If we don’t know who banks with who how could NF or anyone else come to that affect Coutt’s reputation by having an account with them?
I don't believe in censorship of any kind but if I owned a business and one of my clients was a heinous, unscrupulous person I might also refuse to serve them. Is this not also a 'right'?
It's the fact that he is a known figure that people know.
fancythat
^So why doesn't Farage just put the full document into the public domain, rather than selectively fillet and thus distort it for his own advantage?^
He has, has he not?
The black out bits are bits that Farage is no allowed to see I presume.
I wasn't aware of that. So can you put a link to where has Farage published the entire internal dossier that is available to be accessed by ordinary members of the public?
I wouldn’t trust any bank these days. Profits are what they are all about. Some are slightly better than others but none of them care about their customers as individuals. I can’t see what business it is of a bank what a person’s politics might be.
I’m afraid your flogging a dead horse here, MOnica
There’s some who can sort the wheat from the chaff, and there’s some who because of their personal grievances their judgment is clouded.
Thanks Fancy That! The DM isn't my usual go to media site for direct access to original sources. Farage uses the term "exclusively" which suggests he's prevented it being available on other outlets. So obviously some kind of deal (the terms of which won't be published!) between NF & the DM reached there.
MerylStreep
I’m afraid your flogging a dead horse here, MOnica
There’s some who can sort the wheat from the chaff, and there’s some who because of their personal grievances their judgment is clouded.
Some names I would have expected to be on this thread have not appeared[not that I would know for sure].
Perhaps they are on holiday? Or they may be having a bit of a rethink of some things. I dont know.
Or have not seen this thread yet.
MerylStreep
DillytheGardener
Nigel Farage is a ghastly man and banks aren’t obliged to serve customers with conflicting values. He can put his money elsewhere with a bank that doesn’t mind his particular brand of vitriol and hate.
It’s good to know, then that Coutts have the same values as Prince Andrew, wouldn’t you agree 🤔
Good point!
Also what Monica says.👏🏻👏🏻
fancythat
MerylStreep
I’m afraid your flogging a dead horse here, MOnica
There’s some who can sort the wheat from the chaff, and there’s some who because of their personal grievances their judgment is clouded.Some names I would have expected to be on this thread have not appeared[not that I would know for sure].
Perhaps they are on holiday? Or they may be having a bit of a rethink of some things. I dont know.
Or have not seen this thread yet.
Plus, it is the masses that matter.
I think this whole subject will make some people have a bit of a rethink
On social media sites in general, apparently for every one person who responds, there are 9 people who read and dont respond.
NF was offered a private account but not a business account from any Bank.
The point is, Coutts accepted him as a customer when he was well-known, if not necessarily 'a heinous, unscrupulous person' and dealt with him for several years, taking his business and his money, then for reasons known only to themselves, literally, they closed his account and refused to tell him why.
Also, some members of his family, apparently.
Very dangerous.
Farage now talking about this on PM on R4
Coutts used to be a bank where you can only bank by their invitation.
Usually based on wealth, status etc.
If they don't want him, then, as a private business, they are perfectly entitled to remove him. But, I would have thought a bank's priority should be how accounts are conducted.
I'm not sure politics/beliefs should come into it at all.
They did offer him alternative banking with NatWest.
There are also "normal/non political" customers getting their accounts closed, with all the banks, without notice, and without explanation.
news.sky.com/story/banks-may-be-wrongly-closing-accounts-or-silently-marking-them-for-fraud-consumer-group-warns-12921295
Yes,but only a personal account,not a business one.
DiamondLily, but it has taken Nigel Farage to really give this problem legs and get it into the public sphere.
I accept that sometimes banks are constrained because they believe the person is involved in money laundering, but the bank systems are not perfect and completely innocent people have been targetted. As for the Politally Exposed Person system, this is shockingly badly run. It is an international system and its purpose was to limit massive corruption in corruptly run, usually dictatorial governed states, Zimbabwe under Robert Mgabe and such like.
When it is being extended to include children and grand children of government ministers in democraticly run countries, where massive curruption is not a problem, then it need sto be curtailed.
Farage was only offered an account with Nat West AFTER he went public about Couttes rejecting him.
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