Nigel Farage has described a document he said showed Coutts closed his bank account because he disagreed with his “prejudiced and nasty” political views.
The former UKIP and Brexit Party leader said he was shocked by the “vitriol” in the paper as he called for a change in legislation to guarantee a person’s right to open a bank account.
Mr Farage said it had a 40-page document proving it met the “criteria for commercial withholding”, but the exclusive Coutts bank – used by the royal family – he wanted her to leave because of her views ranging from his stance on LGBT+ rights to his friendship with former US President Donald Trump.
He told Sky News: “It’s such a nasty, prejudiced document. It’s the metropolitan elite who hate the views of the many millions of us who live outside the M25.
“I was shocked at the vitriol in it.
“My case is clearly discrimination. They don’t like my views. All my views are legal. All my views are actually majority views in the country.
“It’s wrong that banks can just lock people up and not give any reason for it, I think that will change.”
Sky News has not seen the document in question.
Farage claimed 10 banks have refused to open an account in his name, saying he can “effectively become a non-person” without a banking method.
“You can’t exist. You can’t live. Fortunately, there are some 21st century fintech technical operations through which I will be able to receive income and pay money. [but] it’s not a bank account,” he said.
“I can’t earn interest on the money. I can’t borrow money. I can’t have an overdraft limit. I can’t take out a mortgage. I haven’t thought about whether I can direct debit yet. to the electricity supplier.
“I can pass [but] it is not the same as a bank account. It is a deeply personal matter.
“Announcing to the world that a bank has foreclosed on you is a pretty embarrassing thing to do and will definitely affect my creditworthiness for years to come.”
Farage called for “normative change”.
Read more: What are PEPs and can banks close their accounts?
“I think it should be a right in this country for anyone to have a bank account, to open a business account. I’m actually quite optimistic that this debate can happen.”
Sky News has learned that new secondary legislation will soon be introduced require banks to notify customers three months in advance of account closures and to provide a full explanation.
Farage spoke of the level of support he has received after going public with his financial situation, after Tory MPs put his case in the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions.
“Never before in my public life have I received so much support from across the political spectrum.
“I’m usually what’s considered a polarizing figure, but in this people can see the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong.”
He added: “Don’t forget I’ve been fighting the Conservative Party for many, many years – Grant Shapps and I [are] not exactly political friends. He has spoken about it.
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Rishi Sunak says anyone who has a closed bank account can refer to an ombudsman.
“A number of Labor members have now spoken out and this is a non-partisan issue. This is not about politics.”
Former Cabinet Ministers David Davis i Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg raised the issue a Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday afternoon.
Earlier, a Coutts spokesman said 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”.
