Farage turns hearth on Travers Smith over debanking report | Enterprise Information

The previous UKIP chief Nigel Farage is demanding {that a} main Metropolis legislation agency discloses data that it holds about him, accusing it of “attempting to cover the reality” as he fires one other salvo in his debanking marketing campaign.

Sky Information has learnt that Mr Farage has filed a knowledge topic entry request (DSAR) to Travers Smith, the agency commissioned by NatWest Group final 12 months to research its dealing with of the choice to shut his accounts with Coutts, the financial institution’s wealth administration arm.

NatWest initially claimed it had shut the accounts for financial causes earlier than he pressured it to reveal that his political opinions had been taken under consideration.

He has since threatened to launch court docket proceedings towards NatWest in a bid to acquire compensation for “reputational injury”.

Dame Alison Rose, the financial institution’s former boss, stepped down after it emerged that she had inaccurately briefed a BBC journalist concerning the circumstances of Mr Farage’s debanking.

Whereas the Travers Smith report discovered that NatWest had been responsible of shortcomings in its dealing with of the GB Information broadcaster’s banking preparations, he labelled the legislation agency’s overview “a whitewash”.

On Thursday, Mr Farage informed Sky Information: “The duvet up continues.

“After the whitewash report that contradicted what had been stated within the Topic Entry Request from Coutts, Travers Smith are nonetheless enjoying video games.

“Their findings stated that financial causes had been why discover to shut the accounts was given, versus my views ‘not aligning’ with the financial institution’s values.

“Now we have now requested a DSAR from them.”

Learn extra:
Farage banks on Lloyds in wake of NatWest row
‘Severe failings’ in choice to shut account, overview finds
Ex-NatWest boss Alison Rose breached information guidelines, watchdog says

Mr Farage accused Travers Smith of “attempting to delay” the disclosures he has demanded by claiming “that a few of the materials could also be privileged”.

“In authorized phrases, we dispute this as this was supposedly an unbiased inquiry and never a authorized motion.

“I can solely assume that they’re attempting to cover the reality from me.”

Travers Smith stated it will not remark.

Sources near Mr Farage stated his authorized group had sought copies of all documentary and witness proof submitted as a part of Travers Smith’s inquiry, together with copies of every draft of the legislation agency’s report submitted to Coutts.

The continuation of his debanking dispute comes as the federal government prepares to launch a multibillion-pound retail providing of NatWest shares in the summertime.

The federal government owns slightly below 30% of NatWest, having steadily diminished its stake over the last eight years from – at one level – nearly 85%.

The scale of the providing and of the low cost that will probably be given to collaborating traders are among the many particulars which have but to be decided.

Mr Farage has stated {that a} retail provide to most of the people dangers being undermined by the lack of belief which has arisen from its remedy of him.

NatWest, which modified its title from Royal Financial institution of Scotland Group in an try to shed the legacy of its hubristic overexpansion, was rescued from outright collapse by an emergency bailout that Fred Goodwin, its then boss, likened to “a drive-by capturing”.

Greater than £45bn of taxpayers’ cash was spent on bailing it out.