Nigel Farage has announced the launch of AccountClosed.org, the latest effort in his campaign aimed at helping individuals who have fallen victim to the widespread issue of debanking. The Telegraph has the story.
Nigel Farage is unveiling a new website to help people who have lost their accounts in the “major national scandal” of debanking as former Prime Minister Liz Truss warns that the current system could put people off going into politics.
In an exclusive interview with the Telegraph, Mr. Farage announced the launch of his campaign and the AccountClosed.org site.
The former UKIP leader said he had been “overwhelmed” by members of the public messaging him with their own experiences of being de-banked after his Coutts accounts were closed because of his political views.
He said the website was aimed at quantifying the scale of the problem, finding the banks who are the “worst offenders” and identifying the main reasons why individuals and businesses have had services withdrawn.
“I’m beginning to have the impression this is much, much bigger than any of us could have contemplated,” he said.
“This is about the right to free speech, about having a country where people are treated fairly in an age when you frankly can’t function on a personal level, let alone a business level, without a bank account.”
Mr. Farage said he was particularly concerned by “dozens” of reports from small businesses that they were having accounts closed because their banks do not approve of how much they are trading in cash.
As well as building a picture of the problem, he said AccountClosed.org could become a “really powerful lobby group to go to Parliament” and demand an overhaul of current financial services legislation.
The Telegraph understands ministers are already considering plans that would order banks to give some business account holders at least 90 days notice of termination and a clear example of why accounts are being closed, mirroring measures recently announced for personal accounts.
Worth reading in full.
Stop Press: David Davis MP is planning to introduce a Bill that gives every British citizen the right to a bank account. The Sun has more. Meanwhile, the Telegraph reports that the Government is mulling whether to extend protections that currently apply to personal accounts to business accounts.
Stop Press 2: If you’ve been de-banked, check out the Free Speech Union’s FAQs on what to do. Includes a template Subject Access Request so you can ask your payment services provider what personal information it is holding about you.
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