Should banks be allowed to close down accounts?

We live in a time of great evil. The people responsible for the invasion of Iraq walk free, while normal people have their bank accounts closed. A time of appalling evil.

This is another reason why cash should NOT be abolished!

This is the actual definition of discrimination,people should sue them,especially with Nigel,they clearly broke data and privacy laws

Imagine now the chilling prospect of a cashless society. We would ALL be at the complete mercy of these tyrants.

It's very odd the main stream media are saying nothing about this incredibly serious challenge to our democracy

This is one of the reasons why we should never give up CASH. Without it we'll cease to function.

A totalitarian state is only possible with a nation of cowards

This, in my humble opinion, is genuinely Orwellian. Banks closing people's accounts down, is scary enough, the implications it will have, on "daily living", is nightmare inducing, but to also, not be provided with an answer, as to why the accounts were closed, gives one no right to defend oneself. How is this lawful ?? This could now affect every single one of us, if we don't "toe the line", or dare to disagree with governments policies or stances, over any single matter. Since when were banks given the freedom to discriminate on the political idealogies, or the surname, of their account holders?? Honestly, I'm at a stage, where nothing surprises me anymore, with the levels of censorship, cancellations of people by big tech, to stop voices speaking freely, and close down dissent, is at a level, I never thought I'd see in my lifetime. The United Kingdom screams all around the world, the word "democracy", the phrase, "The Mother of All Parliaments" etc etc, but in the 21st century, if you don't have a bank account, you have been excluded from society, and cannot buy or sell, or pay for anything. How is this a democratic move ?? What????? Why????? Who????? What gives the banks the right to discriminate against certain people?? Why is this being done to people?? Who overall, gave the nod, to banks to start closing accounts randomly?? This is very sinister.

And they've kept some of her money??? How is this even legal? So corrupt.

I keep saying this, boycott Natwest. I live in Germany, and brits living in Europe that require to still have a UK bank account to have pensions etc paid into by the UK Government, have had their accounts closed by Natwest. There is a massive problem at the moment, where people in high positions of power and responsibility are targeting people that aren't onboard with the current agenda. Natwest has obviously been infiltrated by an extreme Lefty, who is abusing their position. Leave Natwest before this happens to you too. Lets do a "Bud-Light" against Natwest.

Remember when the public bailed the banks out when they lost everyone's money? This is such a dangerous thing that shouldn't be possible, you can be locked out of society with actions like this, and to think they even want a central digital currency which would be even worse for the public. The only time they should be able to close an account is if that account was involved in illegal activity like funding terrorism or money laundering etc.

The government needs to threaten to withdraw banking licences to those banks who, without justification, turn away their clients.

This is the problem if you get rid of cash you will have no freedom anymore. With banks doing this You are a slave to the bank and slave to descrimination. This is shameful.

Absolutely not, this is a good enough reason to keep cash GBNEWS is running a petition to keep cash, everybody needs to sign it. If we lose using cash we are in trouble. SIGN IT PEOPLE.

If people turn a blind eye, thinking "Ugh! Well, it ain't ME." .... just wait. It is of PARAMOUNT importance that we do NOT let this slide, do NOT let this get relegated to the sidelines. This is OUTRAGEOUS and people MUST speak up.

We are hurtling towards a totalitarian state at an alarming rate, the truly frightening part is there are plenty of people celebrating this

If they can do it to one of us, they can do it to all of us. I’m furious about this abuse from the banking class. Heads should roll for this. And Miss Tolstoy is right, a bank account should be a civic right, one that cannot be meddled with by government or arrogant bankers!

Banks should not be punishing people for alleged wrongs. That is the job of the police.

Anybody who thinks it is a "laugh" because it's Nigel Farage is completely unaware of what is going on. They should be careful what they find amusing. It may not be so amusing for them one day.

Remind me, who bailed out the UK banks? As I recall, it was the public purse?

Banks should be severely punished for this persecution.. Their punishment must hurt them to discourage this kind of behaviour.. Given Nigel's position in life he should get a hundred million in damages.. This is about destroying people.. It is malicious and spiteful..

These are the very same people we all bailed out

Sincerely, Sorry. As a Canadian I fear Trudeau/Freeland may have set the bar on this and the practice is disgusting.

These are the same people that the taxpayer had to bail out because "they are too big to fail", but still managed to pay themselves massive bonuses whilst overseeing a failed business. They need to be fined massively to re-coup the money that the tax payer pumped into them and the law needs to make it clear that bank accounts cannot be cancelled unless due to criminal activity, with the oversight of the courts of course.

This could happen to anyone. This combination of Conservative / Labour must be removed from power

This is scary for all of us.

This is more chilling than people realise. To be 'controlled' in this way by businesses & services (that are impossible to operate without, in modern society without) is something everyone, EVERYONE, should be concerned about

Wow. Just appalling behaviour by the banks… apparently ALL the banks. My heart goes out to Ms Tolstoy.

Time to go back to pay day envelopes of cash instead of the banks getting our hard earned before we get it! How crazy is that in the first place?!!!!

It's the implementation of a social credit system

Why is Hunt taking so long about it? Is he, perhaps, complicit? There shoukld have been an instant edict directed at the banks putting a stop to this appallingly duplicitous behaviour.

Just imagine what is going to happen when we become a cashless society. God help us!!!!!

This should be headlines in every paper, banks should not be allowed to close any account unless of course you are a criminal and using the account for money laundering. There is something deeply worrying going on, and it needs the Government to step in urgently.

This is simply what happens if your woke social credit score dips below a certain threshold, the same thing happens in China if you are guilty of wrong think. Today it’s bank accounts, employment, tomorrow they will take your passport, your drivers license etc.

Didn't the taxpayer bail these banks out? The absolute neck of it.

This is horrifying, and how can the banks take your money , and then broadcast to the bbc about what should be absolutely private, can the bank be sued ? I just hope everyone will take out their finances from the guilty bank.

Banks shouldn't be allowed to do this, millions of ordinary tax payers get paid through banks to look after they're family's, if this is allowed to happen ,the govt have to provide other means to access your income ,workers , Pensioners, benefit claiments millions of people

Uk parliment needs to call a meeting now and address this now . And put a stop to this now.😮

Depriving someone of a bank account in the modern era, is like taking away their horse in mid-nineteenth century Texas. It leaves them stranded and adrift. Too few controls. Being done far too casually.

Went into a branch of Yorkshire building society today they were unable to comment on a individuals case such as the vicars (understandable) but more worrying was they couldn't tell me what their policy was for cancelling someone's bank account

This is not happening only in UK. It happened to me, in Portugal. I'm portuguese, lawyer, and out of the blue the bank cut me off of my bank account. Went to several banks trying to open another bank account and was denied. I don't have political affiliation, or any other situation dimed unfited . This is happening everywhere in Europe. I went to the court and I won. Even then, I could only find one bank accepting to open a bank account. Meanwhile, I wasn't able to withdraw my money or transfer it to other bank. This can happen to anyone.

That's unbelievably terrifying. Can you imagine what will happen when they get their wishes for pure digital currency??? I am writing this morning from Germany. Please people open your eyes wide and see what is going on here. Keep using cash as much as possible. Liebe Grüße aus der Eifel

This happened in Canada when a single parent raised $50 for the Truckers during their protests.

I held a post office credit card, which was sold to a credit company called Jaja. All was well for a while until they decided i couldn't pay my monthly bill by cash at the p.o. or a bank and closed my account. At the time i thought it was because i paid my credit card debt in full every month ( i only used it when it was necessary for an online transaction ) and they weren't making any money out of me in interest. So i didn't contest their actions. I thought that living within my means was the right thing to do. Obviously not! they like everyone to be in debt and beholden to the large institutions . Now we find they have complete control over us and our finances whoever we are or whatever we believe in. This is NOT freedom , NOR is it democracy.

Last month Barclays stopped my debit card for 2 weeks, when i called to ask why they just hung up on me. I visited a branch and got my card working again, no explanation, no apology. Its a warning to us all.

Just shows you what horrible low life’s some bankers have become. Judge ,jury and executioner in one package.

I’m not keen on Farage, but he shouldn’t have had his accounts closed. It could happen to any of us and it’s just so very wrong! The world has gone nuts with all this cancelling and censoring.

If any of these banks were bailed out using British taxpayer cash, the government should order them to repay it all in one payment immediately.

They should require a court order to close the account. But the government should break the banking monopoly and dish out more banking licenses...

Some years ago, I had a ' normal' account and a ' savings' account with a Building Society. I accidentally had an unauthorised overdraft, caused by erroneous direct debits from an energy company. When I found out about the overdraft, I went into the BS & paid the overdraft off. It was under £200. At that point, in Branch, they took my card off me & closed my account, as my income had dropped below their limit. Since then I have only had access to the ' savings' account, and, due to low income, have been refused bank accounts with other banks. Anything that I need to buy online, my son has to cover for me, & I give him the cash. This is humiliating, but I have no choice.

Unless there are legal reasons to close or refuse an account it should be classed as a discrimination, and the INDIVIDUALS employed in the banks who are making such decisions need to be PERSONALLY prosecuted and fined for abuse of position…if necessary including up to the board members and CEO. It is serious in principle as well as fact and must be addressed firmly.

She nailed it. The Coop won't take cash. This is a bigger problem. Once you let them not accept cash, then they can just shut you out digitally. Cash is king.

What a lovely lady Alexandra is. Good luck to you.

Julia "what do you think its about" Control all about the control. Take your money out and spend cash, they are already training kids with " go henry " accounts give them pocket money let them learn the value of money. If you go cashless you've just seen how easy it is to shut your access down.

It's a disgrace, to think our once great country has come to this, people should be castigated for this.

It does give you a good insight into the type of people who make these decisions in banks. It's pure evil to do that to someone, and a violation of basic human rights.

The Government and Banks are as one.....

Time to return to cash payments when it comes to wages!

If someone has their bank account cut off and that person dies in this digital age those responsible should be sent to jail for a long long time.

Well said ,we must stop this going any further and fight back.

What I would like to know is, if someone gets their bank account closed for no reason, what happens to all their Direct Debits. How are the companies’ such as power & gas etc, going to get paid? The banks say they don’t want undesirables as customers, what about all the criminals who the banks launder money for?

This is insane.😮

It's discrimination on political views. The banker's had our taxes for their bail out's yet they treat the public disgracefully.

Surely this is discrimination. If you use your bank account legitimately, then under the "Equalities Act" the banks are acting unlawfully, if they close a person's account with no good reason. If you are solvent, and have no financial improprieties, then there is no reason for this to occur, and the banks should be liable to litigation. I find this sort of behaviour completely outrageous, and would say it is entirely illegal.

Imagine thinking you have rights......Mask up.

This amazing woman, mother, business owner needs to sue that bank for their inhumane and discriminatory actions against her

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER THEY WILL STRANGLE YOU TOO KEEP YOU ARE COMPLIANT.

Solution. Don't use banks. Let them close...If they are in that much financial trouble, that they need to take other people's money and invent an excuse why it's ok to do so. Then they should not stay open.

There needs to be an independent panel that can look at the evidence banks rely upon to close accounts including any 'perceived' criminal activity to ascertain whether their action is legal and proportional. Where it's not then those impacted should be able to claim compensation and their banking arrangememts reinstated. Banks should not be able to hide behind anti-money laundering legislation (tipping off) to refuse giving reasons why they are withdrawing their services. Imagine a world where you're dependent upon central bank digital currencies which can be cancelled at the touch of a button.

Some years ago I had a small business and NatWest closed my business bank account with no notice or reason!

Release the details of the banks who are closing accounts down , let the public decide right and wrong 🤔

Banks seem to forget who they are working for, they can't exist without us, their customers.

Society crumbles towards it's timely demise.

Stage 2: The government offers their state run bank as an alternative with the promise of 'protecting your rights' ;) It's amazing how many big businesses don't seem to care about keeping customers all of a sudden. Not by chance...

Banks should be allowed to close peoples bank accounts indiscriminately and a government watchdog should be allowed to close down those same banks indiscriminately.

With a 'Conservative' govt in charge.... Unbelievable. Burn it all to the ground. Enough of this.

they act like the peoples tax money never bailed out the banks before.

New Laws must be rushed in , the Banks are becoming Political 👎

Its time for the people to close down banks.

i was homeless for 7 years and one of the reasons i couldnt get out of that mess was because my accounts got closed and i couldnt pen another bank account. now its happening to rich people its an issue? lol

Close my accounts down . Then I cannot pay tax.

Unbelievable that they haven't even told her why they closed her account.

Why the bank have so much authority? It should be against the law or at least human rights!

Do a run on the banks you’ll see how quickly they will reverse their decision

Something odd going on for sure. I believe Nationwide last month gave their "Members" £100 Who else got this and do you really know why? Building society giving away money?? Very odd indeed.

People have got to start taking the banks to court

I would sue the ass off that banks for GDPR breach - giving details to the BBC about an account but not to the actual account holder is grossly negligent

Who benefits from such actions as these, the EU, the WEF etc?

In Nigel Farage's case, it probably started with Chris Bryant slandering him in Parliament. Parliamentary Privilege should be abolished.

I was told by the Spanish government that I wouldn’t be receiving my “el paro” (my money I paid) during lockdown unless I had a bank account. I was forced into opening an account. I went 44yrs without one. It’s a fricken joke.

We had our business account 'disapeared' 3 weeks ago, no word from the bank, no idea where our money has gone. And yet we are still getting emails from them regarding payments due to come out. Thanks NatWest.

As more people voted for Brexit than against it, I'm not sure how this works in a 'democracy.'

My simphathy with the victims.

They didn’t tell Nigel about the requirement of a million in his account in case he deposited a million into the account. Disgusting anyway releasing such personal information about Nigel.

This is very worrying. I bank with NatWest and am disgusted by their behaviour

Where I live in West London you can't get on a bus and pay with cash discusting

Such banks will lose billions $s for their extraordinarily unjustifiable and unconscionable actions

I’m less concerned about preserving my right to have a bank account that I am about preserving my right NOT to have one.

This happened to me in 2020 just before the very first lockdown in March so most of the 6o days was lost during lockdown... every where was shut so I was unable to open a new account that promptly and after Covid lockdown it took months in any case... It was impossible to move the monies at the existing bank... on top of that once they reopened they did not put any consideration for 40+ days of the 60 day duration that was lost during the lockdown... It was brutal ...