Farage writes letter to BBC demanding apology over ‘humiliating’ financial institution reporting
Nigel Farage has written to the top of the BBC demanding a proper apology over its reporting on his Coutts checking account being shut.
In his letter to director-general Tim Davie, the previous UKIP and Brexit Party chief stated he had confronted “humiliating” publicity as a result of company’s article.
The BBC earlier this month reported that Mr Farage fell beneath the monetary threshold required on the prestigious personal financial institution, which is owned by NatWest.
It cited a supply as saying the transfer to shut his account was a “commercial” determination fairly than political causes as he was claiming.
But Mr Farage this week obtained a report from Coutts which stated his views “do not align with our values”.
Join our free WhatsApp community for the latest politics news
The BBC has since revealed an replace to the unique story by enterprise editor Simon Jack, admitting it “turned out not to be accurate”.
But Mr Farage is demanding that the company goes additional and points a proper apology.
In a letter to Mr Davie, seen by The Telegraph, he stated: “Over the previous couple of days, I’ve been put by way of a substantial and humiliating quantity of publicity because of inaccurate BBC reporting.”
He stated the BBC‘s article was extensively accepted as reality which prompted “many to say that my previous comments about being de-banked for political reasons were pure fantasy”.
Mr Farage stated to counter the reporting he was compelled to publish the topic entry request he submitted to Coutts.
He added that the bombshell 40-page doc “contained highly unpleasant and defamatory material about me” causing “further reputational damage in order to defend myself”.
He questioned how the unique reporting met the Beeb’s “supposedly high” editorial requirements and blasted the transfer to amend the story as “too little too late”.
He referred to an apology he acquired from the boss of NatWest Group Dame Alison Rose and former BBC journalist Jon Sopel, who shared the unique story and stated he should really feel like “a bit of a Charlie”.
Mr Farage stated: “I feel that the very least that the BBC can do is to apologise to me, as Dame Alison Rose, Jon Sopel and others have accomplished.”
The GB News presenter has additionally lodged a proper criticism with the Information Commissioner’s Office in regards to the sharing of his monetary particulars with the Beeb.
A BBC spokesman stated: “We confirm that we have received the letter, and we shall respond in due course.
“In the meantime, we now have up to date our corrections and clarifications web site to mirror reporting on this story.”