How to navigate Bank Accounts regarding PEP and individual "none conforming" views.

jimlad68

dealyboy said:

OP ...

There have been two threads on this, the first was started at the beginning of the month and then deleted after a couple of days, the second was started a couple of days later and then was also deleted. Each had tens of posts.

I presume this was because some of the themes are contentious, political and social, and outside the scope of MSE forums policy.

Thanks for that "ominous" info. I suppose it is a grey area for MSE, protecting consumers vs politics, views etc.

eskbanker

Not sure exactly what information you expect MSE to provide - it would be a statement of the obvious to point out that the more controversial you are in your dealings with financial institutions, the more likely they are to decide not to continue the relationship, and it would be an unrealistic expectation that they'd publish some sort of ranking of banks based on anecdotal and inevitably speculative stories of accounts being closed, etc.

born_again

jimlad68 said:

GeoffTF said:

There does not appear to be any hard evidence that anybody has had their bank account closed because of their views. The has not even been an allegation that any bank has done it repeatedly.

I think there are many examples: without spending too much time:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12251447/British-building-society-admits-closing-accounts-people-rude-discriminate.html
https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/uk-has-become-a-political-monoculture-says-former-homosexual-who-had-his-bank-account-cancelled-by-barclays-4200254
https://www.itv.com/news/2022-06-29/halifax-tells-customers-critical-of-pronouns-on-badges-they-can-close-account
It is a sad day when Banks (not really known for their morality unless they are legally obliged) can tell their customers to change their personal "legal" morality.

Thanks for all the observations but I am still no nearer to an answer to my original question.

If someone walked into a pub spouting their views, then they can be told to get out.
Same with a bank, if someone speaks to staff in such a manner then the bank can decide on the same grounds as any other business they do not want that person as a customer.

Not really sure what exactly you are expecting as a answer.

Other than keep your personal opinions to yourself when dealing with staff at any business. Or if you offend them, you may find that you are shown the door & told never to come back.
PEP's are subject to regulations, so unless you are one, then it is no point delving into the matter.
But to help you here is the law.
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7376/#:~:text=The law on PEPs&text=UK law requires “gatekeepers” to,and manage the relationship appropriately.