It is undeniable that Nigel Farage displays more than a hint of Marmite. Views about him can be extremely varied although his campaign and his UKIP party were very influential in PM David Cameron agreeing to a Brexit referendum leading to Britain voting to leave the EU (and Boris getting it done).
Nigel Farage chose to fade into the background but reappearing regularly to expound on Brexit, befriend Donald Trump and share his views on various issues.
His recent announcement that his accounts had been closed by Coutts Bank (famously the Queen’s banker) and without reason, was greeted with a certain Schadenfreude by aspects of the media and political classes, and in particular annoyed remainers.
Challenging the closure, Farage discovered by forcing disclosure of bank documents, that it was untrue that he did not ‘fit financial guidelines’ but that Coutts had taken the view that he was unsuitable because he had retweeted a Ricky Gervais joke about trans women and was a friend of anti-vaxer Novak Djokovic, therefore concerns he was ‘xenophobic and racist’ – and had links with Russia (which he denies)
This embarrassing scenario produced a speedy and fulsome apology from Dame Alison Rose, CEO of the NatWest Group, which owns Coutts. She apologised for the ‘deeply inappropriate comments made about yourself in the now published papers’ released and stated these were not the views of the Bank.
She emphasised her belief in freedom of expression, and access to banking saying it was not their policy to ‘exit a customer’ on the basis of legally held political or personal views.
She offered him alternative banking facilities with NatWest – but revealingly not with Coutts. She promised that Coutts processes will be reviewed and that there will be compliance with Government regulatory rules associated with Politically Exposed Persons.
Coutts and others may think wokery and cancel culture are insurance against scrutiny and criticism. It is to be hoped that this case will ensure banks cease their Orwellian policing of customers’ opinions and return to the business of banking and treating all customers with respect.
Currently there is much to be concerned about. The state of the economy, widespread strikes even by committed doctors, the cost of living crisis, our worryingly shrinking defence capability, War in Ukraine and the existential threat from articulated intelligence which the World Economic Forum predicts will destroy 83million jobs in the next five years.
Is it worrying that while Rome burns, the escapists obsess about the latest series of Love Island, the private lives of Huw Edwards and Philip Schofield and that the most talked about film is Barbie concerning a plastic doll designed for six-yearolds? What of Ken as a stereotype characterised as something of a spare part?
Will the other big film, Oppenheimer, be a serious counterbalance? – reminding us of Oppenheimer ‘father of the atomic bomb’, who lamented ‘I am become death, the destroyer of worlds’.
For some fascinating though not too reassuring summer reading, I recommend We Are Bellingcat by Eliot Higgins. It shows how self taught sleuths have used the internet and social media to solve some of the biggest crimes including identifying the agents responsible for the Salisbury poisoning. Also demonstrating, by accessing covert material, the misreporting by false reporting of incidents around the world. In particular the Bellingcat intelligence agency has discovered the truth behind lies propagated by Putin’s Russia.
A great Wimbledon, particularly with surprises such as Czech Marketa Vobdrousova the first unseeded female to win Wimbledon. Then in the men’s final, 20 year old Carlos Alcaraz, albeit the first seed, defeated 36 year old Novak Djokovic in five thrilling sets. Alcaraz was suitably respectful of the old master whilst Djokovic was magnanimous, describing the champion as a complete player and a combination of Roger, Rafa and himself.
The best headline was ‘The Kid beats the GOAT’. Will Djokovic, despite his amazing record and sustain his hero status despite his disgraceful violent racket smashing, for which he was rightly fined. St Roger will forever be the favourite not only for his style, ability and grace but signifcantly for his sportsmanship.
Too soon for me to predict the outcome of a thrilling Ashes campaign!
barryspeker@hotmail.com