PRESS
RELEASE - 18th MARCH 2002: DENIAL OF BANKING SERVICES TO ISLAMIC
POLITICAL PARTY
In an unprecedented show of political and religious
bias National Westminster Bank
Plc, now part of the Royal Bank of
Scotland, has suddenly and without reason withdrawn banking services
from the Islamic Party of Britain who has held an account at the
bank’s Piccadilly branch for almost 13 years.
The bank informed
the party by letter that it did “no longer wish to provide banking
facilities” and that it was “unwilling to enter into any further
discussion on the matter”. During telephone calls the bank
described the decision as a “confidential order” which could not
be disclosed. Following the party’s attempts to obtain reasons for
the decision or have it reconsidered, the bank wrote that the
“decision will not be reviewed or reversed”.
The Islamic Party
of Britain sees this as a dangerous development where large
corporations abuse the democratic process because somebody with more
financial clout might be leaning on them to silence a particular
political view. NatWest’s unprecedented move to exclude the only
official Islamic political party in Western Europe from banking with
the group is part of an increasing witch- hunt against Muslim
organisations in the aftermath of September 11.
The Islamic Party of
Britain has formally complained to the Banking Ombudsman, and if
NatWest’s decision is not reversed, will be encouraging all
individuals and businesses amongst the 2 million Muslims in Britain
who hold accounts with NatWest to move them to another bank. The
party is currently trying to negotiate an attractive deal with a
more Muslim-friendly bank for customers who want to desert NatWest
after NatWest has deserted them.
WHAT
YOU CAN DO
Write to: Stuart
Higley, Senior Manager, National Westminster Bank Plc, Customer
Relations, Level 4, 4 Eastcheap, London EC3M 1AH, Telephone +44
(0)20 8236 8016, Fax +44 (0)20 8236 8010; you can send your fax by
email using remote-printer.Reception@442082368010.iddd.tpc.int
saying that you “protest against the bank’s unwarranted closure
of the account of the Islamic Party of Britain a/c no. 13182870 at
Piccadilly branch (56-00-03) and the bank’s interference in the
freedom of political expression in the UK”.
If you hold an
account with Natwest and already have alternative banking
facilities, write to your branch requesting the closure of your
account due to the uncertainty the news about the closure of the
Islamic Party’s account has raised in your mind, and send a copy
of the letter to the above Natwest Customer Relations address.
Contact your local
MP and complain about the bank’s action stating that as an Islamic
party supporter (or as a citizen generally) you object to this kind
of exercise of political control by a bank and want your MP to raise
the issue and do something about it.
Contribute to our
campaign fund: S. M. Bleher, a/c no. 52547937 at First Direct
(40-47-77).
PRESS
RELEASE - 22 MARCH 2002: CAMPAIGN SUCCESS - NATWEST BACKS DOWN AND
DONATES TO PARTY
After having
informed the Islamic Party of Britain last week that it was going to
withdraw banking facilities and was not prepared to discuss the
matter further, in fact writing in response to the party's enquiries
that the decision would not be reviewed or reversed, National
Westminster Bank plc rescinded this astonishing and unprecedented
decision and apologised. The bank with whom the Islamic Party of
Britain has had an account since its inception in 1989 regretted its
"poor service" and "failure to follow our normal
robust internal procedures regarding customer
complaints".
This U-turn follows
a campaign called by the Islamic Party of Britain during which
numerous members, associates and sympathisers of the party
telephoned and faxed NatWest's customer relations department and
threatened to severe their ties with NatWest.
The bank also stated
that it had modified its complaints procedures due to this incident
and relaunched its altered 'Managing Customers Concerns' procedure
throughout the Bank. In addition the bank has made a donation of £500
to the Islamic Party as a gesture of goodwill and to make up for the
distress caused.
The Islamic Party of
Britain wishes to express thanks to all those who have supported its
campaign against NatWest Bank's initial interference in the
democratic process by denying established banking facilities to a
minority political party.
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