BBC under pressure to apologise to Nigel Farage over false claims about bank account closure
The BBC today faced increasing pressure to apologize to Nigel Farage over false claims about his bank account being closed.
Former Cabinet Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “The BBC must apologize for misreading a story.”
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This comes after BBC business editor Simon Jack quoted an anonymous source as claiming Mr Farage was not rich enough to have an account with Coutts, a NatWest subsidiary.
He had sat next to NatWest CEO Dame Angela Rose at a dinner the night before.
Mr Farage subsequently proved that his account was deleted due to his political views.
Mr Jack has corrected his story online but has yet to apologize to the former Ukip boss.
Last night a respected former BBC news anchor called for the Beeb to be relegated.
Dame Alison has already apologized to Mr Farage
Nicholas Owen said: “Simon Jack is a good journalist and if he sits next to a banker who makes a remark to him about the story of Nigel Farage, then of course he will go along with it.”
“It’s a really good source. But if that source turns out to be false, then for heaven’s sake just raise your hand.”
He told GB News: “Simon, come on boy, just say ‘sorry’. Sometimes your instincts turn out to be wrong, so admit it.”
The Treasury has called major banks to a meeting over the account closure disputes.
Town Secretary Andrew Griffith said there were “significant concerns” about the closure of accounts based on political views.
He warned he would “take the necessary measures” to protect freedom of expression.
