Senior minister reveals checking account challenges amid Farage row
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nergy Security Secretary Grant Shapps has revealed how he and his household have struggled to open accounts at main banks within the wake of the Nigel Farage row.
The senior Cabinet minister revealed in an interview with the Sun that he and his household have all had points opening accounts, as he accused banks of getting “gone too far with this”.
He mentioned the issues lay with the truth that he’s a “politically exposed person”.
“Every single member of my family – my wife, my brother and my sister. All different banks,” he instructed the paper.
“It is difficulty in getting an account.
“My 19 year-old son, he’s just been sent an enormous letter, an enormous list of things that HSBC wants him to provide, which is as long as your arm and completely unreasonable…
“HSBC – the bank he has been with since he was a little kid – had asked him for a list as long as his arm about you know, what’s the source of your wealth and what’s this, what’s that.”
“My oldest son is 22 and he was outright refused an account by one of the Challenger banks.
“It is mad.”
He additionally spoke his personal private expertise: “When I applied for accounts – I was asked for 18 years of a P60s recently.
“I said how am I meant to get 18 years of payslips? It was since I had started being an MP.”
Mr Shapps mentioned that it was an issue confronted by politicians and “anyone in public service” together with former high civil servants.
The senior minister issued a warning to financial institution leaders, after the Government moved swiftly to introduce plenty of reforms within the wake of Mr Farage’s high-profile marketing campaign towards Coutts and guardian firm NatWest.
Mr Farage has referred to as for a tradition change throughout the broader financial institution trade, as he continues to marketing campaign on the problem.
“They’ve gone too far with this,” Mr Shapps mentioned.
“They should get on with the job of being good at banking and not trying to second guess society. There are laws, there are politicians, there are courts.”
HSBC declined to remark.