Editor's letter

Hard to stay discrete when you’re all over the papers

Private banking has been forcibly thrust into public light this week as Coutts, formerly known as the Queen’s Bank, got caught in a mess. 

Broadcaster and former leader of UKIP (UK Independence Party) Nigel Farage lost his account with the private bank. Many reasons have been given, such as: 

• Farage no longer has enough money to have a Coutts account; 
• Their values “do not align”; 
• It is the woke brigade out to get him; 
• The bank felt like it. 

News like this is not needed in a sector highly regarded for its discretion.  

It is bad enough when they are gaining headline for poor quarterly results or collapsing (such as Credit Suisse or SVB), never mind for gossipy scandals such as this.  

Patrick Brusnahan, editor