Dame Alison Rose, previously at the helm of NatWest Group PLC (LSE: NWG), has been held responsible by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for violating data protection regulations.
This occurred when she disclosed information regarding the impending shutdown of bank accounts belonging to Nigel Farage, the former leader of UKIP, to a journalist from BBC.
The ICO concurred with two aspects of Farage’s grievance, noting that NatWest had improperly disseminated information, thus compromising Farage’s rights to data protection.
The ICO underscored that such behaviour is “unacceptable” and called for preventative measures against future recurrences.
Per the findings of the commissioner, Rose invaded Farage’s privacy twice: first by disclosing his banking affiliation with Coutts, and subsequently by providing deceptive information that led BBC to misinterpret the bank’s motives for closing his accounts as solely financially driven due to his wealth.
In July, BBC made a report stating Farage failed to satisfy the financial prerequisites for maintaining a Coutts bank account, referencing an unidentified informant.
However, Farage later uncovered documents indicating that while his inability to meet the bank’s multimillion-pound account requirements was a consideration, the decision to terminate his accounts was also swayed by apprehensions regarding his political ideologies.
Coutts argued that the presumed “xenophobic, chauvinistic, and racist views” held by Farage presented a risk to their reputation.
Following her acknowledgement of discussing Farage’s banking information with a BBC journalist—a move that sparked debates on client privacy—Rose resigned in July.
The board of NatWest is presently evaluating whether to disburse the £2.4 million in pay, along with bonuses, contractually promised to Rose.
Farage has charged Rose with perpetuating a “deep political prejudice” culture within NatWest Group, asserting that she should not be compensated for her missteps.
A legal pursuit remains a possibility, as indicated by a spokesperson for Farage in a discussion with The Guardian.
