Building society admits it would closes customers’ accounts if they are ‘rude or discriminate’

A leading building society has revealed that it closes customers’ accounts if they engage in “rude” or “discriminatory” behaviour.

The Yorkshire Building Society made the admission after claims that it severed ties with a client who questioned the use of Pride flags in their branches.

It comes amid a growing row over whether banks are targeting people for their political beliefs after Nigel Farage revealed his account was recently shuttered.

Writing for The Telegraph, the former Brexit Party leader said he was then rejected by seven other banks when he approached them to become a customer.

The Yorkshire Building Society, which has three million customers, said that it does “not close savings accounts based on different opinions regarding beliefs”.

In a statement it added: “We would only make the difficult decision to close a savings account if a customer is rude, abusive, violent or discriminates in any way, based on the specific facts and behaviour in each case.”

Mr Farage revealed on Thursday that the high-end banking group that he has used since 1980 told him recently that it is closing his account.

Whilst he did not name the institution, it has previously been reported that he had a mortgage with Coutts, which is owned by NatWest.

He added that several family members had also had their accounts closed after Chris Bryant, a Labour MP, “falsely” accused him of taking money from Russia.

‘If they are coming for me today, they can come for you tomorrow’

The former Ukip leader said that the decision was proof that “we are living through the politicisation of our corporate sector”.

“It should alarm everybody that a bank has the power to punish those it considers to have erred or strayed,” he wrote.

“If they are coming for me today, they can come for you tomorrow. If you were to post a political opinion on social media that did not conform to your bank’s ‘values’, you could find yourself in my position.”