Nigel Farage cries persecution, nobody wants to be his banker after ties to Russia

Overheal

https://www.mediaite.com/news/nigel-farage-may-flee-uk-after-claiming-banks-are-shunning-him-over-brexit-this-is-serious-political-persecution/

The poor sap gets a lesson in the freedom of association. Crows that he is "a non-person" now that the banks have decided he is 'a poor commercial investment.'

Last year, Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant claimed in the House of Commons that Farage was paid over £500,000 by Russia Today for his appearances on the Kremlin-backed network in 2018. Farage said these claims may have led to his accounts being closed while denying any wrongdoing: “I didn’t receive a penny from any source with even any link to Russia.”

Karma's a bitch

banie01

As I said when I read this on twitter. Banks and many other institutions have regulatory responsibility to ensure KYC/AML requirements are met along with responsibility to log and report suspicious transactions.

That requirement sits alongside a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders/Owners to ensure they don't incur reputational harm by being associated with people who may be toxic by association.

On top of all that, Farage is no doubt subject to an additional layer of scrutiny as a politically exposed person. Meaning a very careful look taken at all transactions and in particular to the source of funds.

For Forks Sake

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Nermal

Depressing to see the eagerness with which you all jump to defending corporate power once it's exercised against those you dislike.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784344#Comment_120784344

Condolences.

This is an upsetting thread for you.

Appalling news.

You can disagree with Farage, but having his bank accounts taken from him -- when there is no evidence of wrongdoing -- is abhorrent. It's the kind of thing you'd see in some authoritarian country like Russia. And it wasn't just Farage, it was members of his family, too.

There are many other right-wing figures who over the past few years have similarly had their bank accounts suspended. Toby Young springs to mind. Again, with no evidence of wrongdoing. In the case of Young, his accounts were re-instated after a kerfuffle was made on the issue.

I wouldn't glee in this, if I were anyone.

Because what might happen if the content of a social media post you make is levelled against you by financial institutions in the future?

It's an absurd situation.

gmisk

Ha ha good.

pjohnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784363#Comment_120784363

You've my sympathy aswell.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784344#Comment_120784344

Hi Nigel, meet consequences

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784398#Comment_120784398

Consequences of what?

There is no evidence of wrongdoing, not him nor his family's bank accounts which have also been suspended.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784363#Comment_120784363

He was a paid staffer of the Russian state via RT.

That will set off the politically connected persons procedure of any banking institution in a country that isn't an authoritarian shithole like Russia. And then they are entirely within their rights to decline your business as risky.

Go apply for a bank or credit union account in Ireland and you'll be asked questions about political exposure

Anyway, I'm sure Farage would love to go back to the days of cashing cheques in the pub and so on. Will make his old rustic Britannia fantasies more accurate.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784406#Comment_120784406

No, that's a myth perpetrated by Chris Bryant (who incidentally, made the statements under parliamentary privilege). It doesn't stand up to scrutiny at all.

In fact, it has been shown to be false.

I.R.Y.E.D

Being one of putin's bitches has consequences, who would have thought that would be the case.

As for something like this happening to them because of a social media post, most people aren't that screwed up to accuse someone involved in a reputable charity of being a paedophile for example

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784426#Comment_120784426

Did you mean to link to a report that proves otherwise. That article specifically says he was paid by RT and includes a quote from him confirming it.

Atlantic Dawn

Theres a few people in this country have had their bank accounts and members of their family closed simply for attending public protests. Have seen examples on Twitter including the letter the banks sent to them. It's a dangerous power to shut someone down in to the stoneage for political reasons, kind of Hitlerish powers.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784468#Comment_120784468

Chris Bryant made an outlandish claim whilst shielded behind parliamentary privilege, that Farage had allegedly earned over half a million from RT.

It turns out the figure is closer to 5,000 pounds, from one or two appearance fees. Farage hasn't appeared on the channel in years.

Indeed, Farage challenged Bryant to make the same claims outside of parliamentary privilege, which meant that Bryant would not be legally protected from his comments, but Bryant has refused to repeat the claims in public. Even Bryant knows the claims are false.

That's because the claims are false.

And when you compare the figures, his claim was false to the tune of 100 times.

Overheal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784363#Comment_120784363

Okay Nigel.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784426#Comment_120784426

Your article attempts to debunk the 548k.

It absolutely and utterly does not debunk that Farage got money from RT.

Did you actually read it?

From your later posts, it seems you did - but you decided to post it and lie about its contents to try and deflect and defend Farage. As always.

astrofool

Farage winning more stupid prizes.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784488#Comment_120784488

Your claim:

He was a paid staffer of the Russian state via RT.

He wasn't a "staffer" at RT. He wasn't employed by Russia Today as a presenter. Alex Salmond and George Galloway were paid presenters of RT however, but it doesn't seem anything has happened their bank accounts.

Farage hasn't appeared on RT in years to earn any appearance fees. The appearance fees he did earn, his accounts show around 5,000 pounds -- not the half a million pounds that his opponents falsely claimed he earned.

Chris Bryant lied in parliament, and refused to repeat the same claims outside of parliament. Even he knows his allegations are false.

Farage has done nothing wrong here. And earning minor appearance fees from RT from 6-7 years ago is a terrible justification for his bank accounts to be suspended today -- not just him, but his family's accounts too.

These are the actual facts, outside the vindictive blizzard of consensus you see on social media and elsewhere.

growleaves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784479#Comment_120784479

Yes it fits the fascist model of corporatism to wield (puppeteered) commercial power as a proxy for political power.

If every large commercial entity in a society is another arm of a vindictive centralised state then people can be dis-employed, impoverished or even starved out.

Happened in late Communist era (Brezhnev to Gorbachev) also after they stopped murdering dissidents and punished them financially instead. Lech Walesa was prevented from earning a living as an electrician in the Soviet Union because of his organising with Solidarity.

The Competition Commission should break up these banks. Ofc that would assume the Competition Commission is itself independent and un-corrupt which I don't assume for a second. But it should not be possible for people to be frozen out of the banking system to satisfy a political grudge.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784507#Comment_120784507

The banks disagree

PommieBast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784406#Comment_120784406

The UK PEP rules are such a dragnet it is likely that just his status as a former MEP likely makes him fall within the scope.

Anyway just shows how out of touch he is. Opening any sort of non-personal bank account is far from the tick-box exercise it is for personal accounts, and refusal is hardly exceptional.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784546#Comment_120784546

All payments coming into and out of Farage's personal and business bank accounts could be accounted for.

A standard audit could be conducted, for example.

It's interesting that Farage noted that no such attempt was made on behalf of the bank.

Farage has also indicated that he is willing to take legal action to establish whether the grounds were legitimate (i.e. to establish what personal information the bank is using / has access to, as the basis for cancelling his accounts).

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out, but I very much doubt we'll see any evidence of wrongdoing.

This will be Toby Young Mark II, or what happened with the bank accounts of the Triggernometry podcast with Konstantin Kisin (another right-of-centre podcast).

Danzy

If that guy who hates the Jews, Corbyn had his accounts frozen for his work for the Iranian regime, if that other leading Jew baiter George Galloway who works for Russia today.had his accounts frozen.

That would still be wrong, I think they are both vile vile people with vile views but I don't think that their account should be frozen.

Anjunadeep

great news. He is an absolute weasel

jackboy

Banks all over Europe have been awash with Russian money for years and many still are. This has nothing to do with his Russian links, it is a political attack.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120784589#Comment_120784589

That's the fundamental point -- that someone's political beliefs should not be used as the basis for financial institutions to cancel bank accounts.

No matter how much you may disagree with them.

If financial institutions are given that power, the people supporting it may regret that support if in the future that same financial institution decides to come for your accounts, on the basis of what opinions you express on social media or elsewhere.

Ask yourself, how would you react if a financial institution cancelled your bank accounts on the basis of your deeply-held political beliefs?

Because if it's wrong for you, then it's wrong for Farage.

Be careful what you wish for, springs to mind.

purifol0

Hilarious to see people defending the actions of the banks. The **** banks. How short are your memories?

I wouldn't piss on Farage if he was on fire, but the exact same thing was done to Wikileaks when they were embarrasing the US and exposing the truly rich.

sameoldname

Seeing as the source for this comes from Farage himself, it's safe to assume that it's complete bullshit. Same as everything else he's ever said.