Nigel Farage, conservative political commentator and former leader of the Brexit Party, claimed that the U.K. establishment has shut down his bank accounts in an act of “political persecution” in a video posted to Twitter on Wednesday.
Farage said that his personal and business bank accounts have been shut off, and attempts to open new accounts have been denied. It is the result of “prejudice” by Britain’s corporate structure against his politics and false accusations made by the U.K.’s House of Commons, according to Farage.
“I have been with the same banking group since 1980. I’ve had my personal accounts with them since that date, and my business accounts,” Farage said. “I got a phone call a couple months ago to say, ‘We are closing your accounts.’ I asked why – no reason was given.”
“I’ve been to seven banks and asked them all, ‘Could I have a personal and business account,’ and the answer has been no in every single case.”
The establishment are trying to force me out of the UK by closing my bank accounts.
I have been given no explanation or recourse as to why this is happening to me.
This is serious political persecution at the very highest level of our system.
If they can do it to me, they… pic.twitter.com/O4xQ1h79ub
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 29, 2023
One explanation Farage gave for the closures is that the banks see him as a “politically exposed person” – which could be anyone “from the Prime Minister down to a local counselor.” Banks decide who fits that category and can choose to close accounts for such individuals, Farage said. Now the banks have weaponized the rule against Farage for his politics, he claimed in the video.
“Any bank, any organization could choose to interpret a [politically exposed person] and whether they want the account … these are organizations who did not want Brexit to happen. And I think in my case, the corporate world will never forgive me.”
Farage was the leader of the right-wing Brexit Party (renamed Reform UK) from 2016-2021, which sought to withdraw the U.K. from the European Union.
Farage also said the reason for the closures might be attributed to an accusation made against him by the U.K. House of Commons, which claimed he took large amounts of money from the Russian government. (RELATED: ‘Is This The End Of America As The Global Super Power?’: Nigel Farage Issues Dire Warning After Biden’s Bungled Exit)
“Truth is, I didn’t receive a penny from any source with any link to Russia.”
Farage said he is now taking legal action and may not stay in the U.K. if he’s not able to open an account.
“Without a bank account, you effectively become a non-person. You don’t actually exist. It’s like the worst regimes of the 20th century, be they in Russia or Germany,” Farage said. “I’m beginning to think that life in life in the United Kingdom is now becoming completely unlivable because of the levels of prejudice against me.”
Farage did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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