UK banking boss apologizes to populist politician Farage over the closure of his account

abcnews.go.com:

The chief executive of U.K. bank NatWest Group has apologized to populist politician Nigel Farage after he complained that his bank account was shut down because the banking group didn’t agree with his political views

LONDON — The chief executive of U.K. bank NatWest Group apologised Thursday to populist politician Nigel Farage after he complained that his bank account was shut down because the banking group didn't agree with his political views.

Farage, a talk show presenter and former leader of the pro-Brexit U.K. Independence Party, said his account with the prestigious private bank Coutts, owned by NatWest Group, was closed down unfairly.

He shared documents he obtained from the bank with Mail Online, the Daily Mail tabloid's online outlet, that allegedly showed bank officials writing that continuing to retain Farage as a customer would be incompatible with its “position as an inclusive organization” given his publicly-held views.

The alleged bank documents said Farage was “seen as xenophobic and racist” and “considered by many to be a disingenuous grifter.” They said there was substantial “adverse press” associated with him and discussed the reputational risk to the bank by associating with him.

The documents have not been verified by The Associated Press.

Alison Rose, chief executive of NatWest Group, wrote to Farage to apologize for “deeply inappropriate comments” made about him in the documents and said the bank has offered him alternative banking arrangements.

“It is not our policy to exit a customer on the basis of legally held political and personal views,” she said in a statement. “I fully understand the public concern that the processes for bank account closure are not sufficiently transparent… the