Nigel Farage lodges formal criticism after accusing NatWest of passing his information

Jul 23, 2023 at 12:13 AM

Former UKIP chief Nigel Farage has lodged a proper criticism with the Information Commissioner after accusing the NatWest Group of passing private information about his “financial affairs” to the BBC.

This comes after a BBC news report claimed he misplaced his account at Coutts as a result of he had inadequate funds and fell beneath the required £1million threshold.

But after making a knowledge topic entry request to Coutts to search out out why his account was being closed, he acquired a 40-page doc which revealed that the financial institution thought his political beliefs did “not align with our values”.

According to the report, the financial institution’s file cited his retweet of a Ricky Gervais joke about trans girls and his friendship with tennis participant Novak Djokovic – who was towards the Covid vaccinatio – to flag considerations about Mr Farage’s political beliefs.

Chief govt of Natwest Dame Alison Rose – which owns Coutts – apologised earlier this week over the mishandling of his account closure.

Mr Farage has written to BBC director-general Tim Davie to complain about its reporting.

The state broadcaster mentioned: “We acknowledge that the information we reported – that Coutts’ decision on Nigel Farage’s account did not involve considerations about his political views – turned out not to be accurate.”

“We have amended this text’s headline and duplicate to clarify that the main points in regards to the closure of Nigel Farage’s checking account got here from a supply.”

The ICO has the power to fine Coutts a maximum of £17.5million, or 4 percent of the total annual worldwide turnover in the preceding financial year, the Mail reports.

The letter from Mr Farage’s lawyers to the ICO states: “The content material of the BBC report provides rise to the inescapable conclusion that the financial institution was offering confidential info comprising Mr Farage’s private information about his monetary affairs to the Press, which, on the face of it might represent a severe information breach by the financial institution.”

It adds: “This materials confirmed that the knowledge that was apparently given to the BBC by Coutts or somebody throughout the Natwest Group was at finest incomplete and at worst intentionally deceptive.

“The information given to the BBC was also not fully accurate in relation to the offer of alternative banking facilities at Natwest; Mr Farage was only offered an alternative current account, and was not offered an alternative business account. Mr Farage’s sense of profound injustice, and concern for wide societal implications of the bank’s conduct, led him to feel he had to correct the position by making public the full DSAR response, even though it included information that was highly prejudicial about him.”

The letter concludes: “Given the gravity of this situation however, Mr Farage asks the ICO to intervene to take action to require Coutts and Natwest Group to explain promptly exactly how it has handled his personal data.”