Banks labelled ‘Big Brother’ as major high street institutions attempt to ‘cancel the countryside’
Neil Parish says banks are becoming 'Big Brother'
GB NEWS / PA
Banks are attempting to “cancel the countryside”, according to a senior MP, after it was revealed that gun clubs have been the latest target of high street lenders.
According to The Telegraph, a third of shooting businesses have had their accounts closed down suddenly, with companies like HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds and NatWest named as companies who have refused accounts or credit to businesses linked to the endeavour.
It comes as the debanking scandal remains rife in the headlines after it emerged that Coutts had closed the account of Nigel Farage as a result of his political views.
Since the GB News presenter’s debanking, many other instances of the practice have come to the fore.
Speaking on GB News, farmer and former Conservative MP Neil Parish hit out at the debanking of gun clubs.
“Banks should get back to what they’re there for,” he said.
“Many of the shoots have good wildlife and nature conservation areas, it all works quite nicely together, it’s part of countryside activity.
“I just don’t see why banks think they can be judge and jury over absolutely everything we are doing, not only in the countryside but everywhere else.
“What on earth are they playing at? Big Brother is appearing and they are saying, ‘thou shalt not do that’, it’s time banks went back to dealing with people and looking after our accounts.
“They should stop being so judgemental. Why are they right and countrysides wrong?”
The board have issued a 'further apology' to Farage and said Rose 'should not have spoken in the way she did'PA
Research sent by The British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) to Andrew Griffith MP, the economic secretary to the Treasury, showed that 37 per cent of shooting clubs, syndicates and trade organisations had seen the sudden closure of an account.
Of the participants, 33 per cent said the account was closed by HSBC, 22 per cent by Barclays and six per cent by NatWest.
Griffith told The Telegraph: “Parliament has decided that country sports remain a lawful activity. Representing a rural constituency, I know that they can make a significant contribution to local economies and maintaining the countryside.
“The Government has made clear that customers must be given clear and transparent reasons for closing an account or service as well as increasing the notice period. Banks must not ‘hide’ behind financial regulations.”
Ex-home secretary Priti Patel added her name to the dissenting voices, saying: “This is another example of where Britain’s banks are politically compromised. Banks need to get back to providing access to financial services and stay away from passing political judgement as to who can bank with them.
“Treasury ministers have an opportunity to reform the appalling and degrading conduct led by the banking echelons and stand up for Britain’s small businesses and the self-employed who the banks have attempted to shut down.”
A Barclays spokesman said that the company complied “with our legal and regulatory obligations” and it would “only withdraw banking services from an individual or business in exceptional circumstances.”
A HSBC spokesman said: “We comply with all legal and regulatory requirements. Decisions on customer accounts are always the subject of careful consideration and are never taken due to the legal, political, or personal views of a customer.”
A NatWest spokesman added it provided “banking services to businesses, clubs and societies involved in shooting, subject to appropriate legal, licensing and due diligence requirements being met by the customer.”
Lloyds are yet to comment.