Ex-NatWest chief breached Nigel Farage’s privateness, ICO guidelines

The previous NatWest chief govt breached information safety legal guidelines when she spoke to a BBC journalist concerning the deliberate closure of Nigel Farage’s financial institution accounts, the UK’s info watchdog has dominated.

An Info Commissioner’s Workplace (ICO) report has mentioned that Alison Rose broke guidelines on two counts: first by revealing that Farage had a banking relationship with its non-public financial institution, Coutts; and secondly by offering “deceptive info” that led the BBC to consider the financial institution was closing his accounts for purely business causes, linked to his wealth.

“Mr Farage’s rights had been infringed due to this,” the ICO report mentioned.

Paperwork obtained by Farage in July confirmed that whereas Coutts had thought of the truth that he had fallen beneath the financial institution’s multimillion-pound account thresholds, the financial institution additionally determined to shut his accounts because of issues over his political opinions, which it mentioned didn’t align with the financial institution’s. The Coutts paperwork confirmed the financial institution believed that his alleged “xenophobic, chauvinistic and racist views” posed a reputational threat to the financial institution.

ICO mentioned it didn’t plan to take any additional motion, on condition that NatWest – which is 38.5% owned by the taxpayer – had already launched an investigation into the incident and Rose had stepped down over the scandal.

In July, Rose admitted to discussing the matter with a BBC journalist, in an alleged breach of consumer confidentiality that raised issues in authorities and finally led to her resignation.

An ICO spokesperson mentioned: “Following a radical overview of the grievance raised with us, we’ve concluded our investigation. We upheld two elements of the grievance – specifically, we discovered that a person employed by NatWest shared info when they need to not have performed, and that by doing so that they infringed the complainant’s information safety rights.

“We’ve got been clear with the financial institution that these actions had been unacceptable and shouldn’t occur once more.”

The ICO ruling, which was first reported by the Monetary Occasions, was issued in response to complaints filed by Farage this summer season. It additionally comes days earlier than NatWest’s personal investigation is because of conclude, on the finish of October.

That investigation, which is being carried out by the regulation agency Travers Smith, might end in Rose dropping thousands and thousands of kilos in pay. NatWest confirmed final month that she remains to be more likely to gather £2.4m as she serves out her 12-month discover interval.

Farage mentioned: “The ICO report confirms that Dame Alison Rose was in breach of information guidelines, of the FCA rulebook, and oversaw a tradition of deep political prejudice inside the NatWest Group. She should not be rewarded for failure.”

A spokesperson for Farage informed media that the previous Ukip chief had not dominated out taking the matter to court docket.

NatWest bosses, together with the outgoing chair, Howard Davies, are more likely to face strain over the ICO ruling when the financial institution releases its third-quarter earnings on Friday morning.

A NatWest spokesperson mentioned: “We totally cooperate with the ICO in its evaluation of any buyer grievance, however it will not be applicable for us to touch upon this particular person case.”

A spokesperson for Rose mentioned: “Alison Rose was not conscious of the ICO investigation, didn’t obtain any questions from the ICO, has not seen its ruling and can’t touch upon it.”