Dame Alison Rose says sorry for ‘deeply inappropriate’ comments about former Ukip leader
The chief executive of NatWest has finally apologised to Nigel Farage amid the row over the closure of his bank accounts, but failed to address many of the questions raised by the scandal.
Dame Alison Rose said comments made about the former UK Independence Party leader by staff at Coutts while justifying the closure of the accounts, including suggestions that he is a racist, were “deeply inappropriate” and “do not reflect the view of the bank”.
Coutts is a subsidiary of NatWest, which is 39 per cent owned by the taxpayer.
However, Dame Alison failed to reveal who briefed Simon Jack, the BBC’s business editor, that Mr Farage had been de-banked for “commercial” reasons – a claim the broadcaster has since admitted was inaccurate.