This came after former politician Nigel Farage revealed that his business and personal accounts had been closed by private bank Coutts due to his political views. Fuller
Mr Farage is currently negotiating with Coutts to keep both of his accounts open, with new chief executive Mohammed Syed offering to reverse the original decision. He did not confirm whether he accepted the offer.
The former MEP said he demanded an apology and compensation from the bank for the scandal. Mr. Farage recently launched a website to help victims of debanking.
Last month, the government announced new anti-debanking regulations that force creditors to explain and delay any decision to close an account.
According to the changes, banks will have to notify depositors three months in advance and must «clarify» the reasons for their decision in order to increase transparency for customers.
Commenting on the debanking, Mr. Hunt said: «I'm concerned that it may exist more than we thought.»
«And the reason I'm worried is that free speech is one of fundamental human rights. And you can agree or disagree with Nigel Farage, but everyone wants to be able to have their say.
«But in today's society, you need a bank account to function, and therefore the threat of debanking, because the word, now widely used is a threat to your right to express your opinion.»
The FCA's latest statement follows calls for the Chancellor to investigate the regulator to «restore the integrity» of the banking system.
A group of prominent conservatives and former financial industry figures have written to Hunt that they are concerned that the FCA is inadvertently encouraging a culture of debanking by urging lenders to act responsibly in accordance with so-called «environmental, social and governance norms.» principles.
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