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The bank\u2019s board appointed law firm Travers Smith in July to carry out an independent review into the debanking scandal that led to boss Dame Alison Rose quitting.<\/p>\n
It concluded ditching the former Brexit Party leader was \u201clawful and in accordance with the relevant bank policies and processes\u201d.<\/p>\n
But Sir Howard Davies, chairman of NatWest Group, which owns the private bank, conceded \u201ca number of serious failings\u201d including how Coutts communicated with the GB News presenter and how it treated his confidential information.<\/p>\n
Dame Alison made an \u201chonest mistake\u201d in disclosing details of the bank account to a BBC journalist, the report said.<\/p>\n
It added: \u201cShe honestly, but incorrectly, believed that the client had publicly confirmed that he was a customer of Coutts.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the decision to shut down Mr Farage\u2019s bank account was lawful and predominately commercial, said the law firm. It noted: \u201cCoutts considered its relationship with Mr Farage to be commercially unviable because it was significantly loss-making.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Farage said the report had \u201cwhitewashed the decision to close my accounts\u201d and \u201ccomes as little surprise\u201d.<\/p>\n
He noted that one of Travers Smith\u2019s senior figures, Chris Hale, is a pro-Remain lawyer \u201cwho once described Brexiteers as racist and xenophobic\u201d. And Mr Farage pointed out that the law firm admitted the evidence given to them was \u201cnot entirely consistent\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cTravers Smith has taken a mealy-mouthed approach to this complex issue. The law firm argues my political views \u2018not aligning with those of the bank\u2019 was not in itself a political decision. This is laughable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Travers Smith claimed it did not find that his \u201cpro-Brexit stance were factors in the exit decision\u201d.<\/p>\n
READ MORE <\/strong> Triumphant Nigel Farage insists he was right over EU army<\/strong><\/p>\n But bank messages and documents handed over to Mr Farage as part of a Subject Access Request saw the word \u201cBrexit\u201d mentioned 86 times amid discussions about closing the account.<\/p>\n The report found against NatWest for using a letter template usually reserved for those who have committed fraud when conveying the decision to debank him.<\/p>\n Mr Farage concluded that the report \u201csays so much about the culture created by Alison Rose, who has now been found by the [Information Commissioner\u2019s Office] to have breached my privacy\u201d.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThe Travers Smith report is inconclusive and ignores the elephant in the room.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat really matters now is the next steps that the ICO takes and, perhaps more importantly, what the FCA, the regulator of this industry, does about this scandal.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier this week, the ICO ruled that Dame Alison infringed on Mr Farage\u2019s data protection rights when she talked to a journalist about his relationship with Coutts.<\/p>\n\n