How Coutts constructed their very contrived 36-page case to ‘exit’ Nigel Farage as a result of his ‘commentary and behaviours don’t align’ with its values

When Coutts’ wealth reputational danger committee met in November 2022, a report put to them stated Nigel Farage had sufficient cash to be a consumer of their unique financial institution.

So unable to get shot of him for monetary causes, the celebrated non-public financial institution agreed to ‘exit’ Mr Farage as a result of his ‘commentary and behaviours don’t align’ with its values.

Inner memos and emails in regards to the main Brexiteer present it took subject together with his views on the whole lot from climate change and migration to his assist for former US president Donald Trump.

Within the 36-page file handed to the committee, members had been advised of ‘antagonistic press’ in regards to the ex-UKIP chief.

They even highlighted issues over him backing tennis star Novak Djokovic’s anti-vaccination stance and sharing a clip from comic Ricky Gervais. Posting a message on-line from a sitting Tory MP was additionally talked about within the supposed ‘reputational’ dangers of retaining his account.

Nigel Farage was seen by Coutts as a reputational danger primarily based on his views and hyperlinks to varied figures

Memos and emails obtained by Mr Farage by topic entry request present him branded by Coutts as ‘racist’ and ‘xenophobic’

However the doc, obtained by Mr Farage through a topic entry request and seen by the Every day Mail, seems to sink its personal arguments for shutting down his account.

‘Connections’ to Russia 

Web page one of many doc states: ‘By way of any potential connections to Russia, NF had not been sanctioned and had no identified direct/oblique Russian connections.’ But lots of of references are made throughout quite a few pages about alleged connections to Moscow, president Vladimir Putin, and the state information channel Russia At this time.

The file cites a ‘Labour MP’, identified to be Chris Bryant, accusing Mr Farage of receiving £548,573 from the broadcaster in 2018. However the report later says: ‘There isn’t any additional proof to again up the claims made.’

Mr Bryant made the claims in Parliament the place he’s protected by privilege and has by no means repeated them elsewhere. Mr Farage categorically denies such funds, stating he solely ever obtained two charges, each beneath £5,000, in 2016 and 2017.

And regardless of condemning Mr Putin for going too far together with his invasion of Ukraine, Mr Farage seems to be blamed as a substitute for placing emphasis on the EU and Nato. Within the committee’s assembly minutes, they are saying: ‘The paper [of claims put together by the bank] was proper to say the Russian allegations and potential Russian connections NF had, however there was nothing substantive in that regard.

‘Mr Farage was reviewed by reputational risk forum in 2018 with the paper focusing solely on NF’s alleged “Russian Ties”. At the moment, the allegations had been unproven.

‘There isn’t any proof that he has direct “connections” with the Russian political infrastructure, both by our accounts or through additional investigation within the Press or the web.’

Coutts finally means that on a ‘danger mitigation’ foundation, they ‘can’t discover any proof of a direct Russian regime connection other than the funds obtained in relation to media work for the Russian TV channel RT’.

A 36-page doc seems to undermine the non-public financial institution’s causes for shutting down Mr Farage’s account

He is seen as a ‘racist’ 

The Coutts doc cites media reporting from the Left-wing Guardian newspaper about Mr Farage being criticised for calling vitality secretary Grant Shapps a ‘globalist’, in addition to common condemnation for his views on the Black Lives Matter protests.

It additionally calls out his endorsement of Mr Trump however provides ‘he isn’t alone within the media and in lots of circumstances most of the people’.

The inner paperwork say: ‘The values NF actively and publicly promotes/champions don’t align with the financial institution’s – at finest he’s seen as xenophobic and pandering to racists, and at worst he’s seen as xenophobic and racist.’

However the identical individuals admit that Mr Farage’s commentary stays inside the regulation relating to hate speech and arguably on the precise facet of ‘glorifying or selling dangerous behaviour’.

Somewhat than being unlawful or inciting hate, Coutts insists that ‘being related’ with Mr Farage will current a ‘materials and ongoing reputational danger to the financial institution.’ Additionally they make reference to an article within the Unbiased which alleged Mr Farage was a ‘fascist’ in his faculty days.

Twitter exercise 

The doc additionally supplies a sequence of social media posts and exercise deemed controversial.

In these, Mr Farage criticises the then-Prince Charles, expresses a want to depart the European Courtroom of Human Rights and retweets a comedy sketch seen as ‘transphobic’ from Mr Gervais.

He’s additionally referred to as out for backing Mr Djokovic’s determination to not get vaccinated forward of a serious tennis event final yr. One be aware, from Could 2022, merely reads: ‘Nonetheless pro-Trump.’

Local weather change 

One of many justifications for closing the account is that Mr Farage is seen as being ‘anti net-zero’.

However his views on the problems – a lot of that are shared by voters and MPs – had been branded ‘distasteful and seem more and more out of contact with wider society’. However they add: ‘There isn’t any proof of regulator or authorized censure of the consumer.’

Well mannered and respectful 

On quite a few events, Coutts stresses that Mr Farage has not finished something legally flawed and has engaged with the financial institution in a ‘skilled’ method.

‘Whereas it’s accepted that no legal convictions have resulted, commentary and behaviours that don’t align to the financial institution’s function and values have been demonstrated,’ they write.

The doc insists ‘this was not a political determination however one centred round inclusivity and function’ – and so they admit that his engagement has been ‘skilled, well mannered and respectful’.

They seem extra involved with the fallout of closing his account, noting he could use ‘his platform on GB Information/social media to air his grievances’.

But inside emails say Mr Farage’s ‘previous public profile and connections’ outweigh the advantages of retaining his account. These embrace ‘danger elements together with accusations of hyperlinks to Russia’ regardless of the sooner admission there have been no concrete connections.