Government intervention is questioned

SENIOR Labour MPs have questioned Downing Street’s “astonishing” move to heap pressure on demands for the resignation of NatWest’s Dame Alison Rose in the row over Nigel Farage.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was clear that he believed NatWest was in the “wrong” and that Dame Alison had no choice but to resign, but shadow trade secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds argued that her position was a “matter for NatWest” rather than for the Government to intervene. 

With a 38.6% stake, the Government remains the biggest shareholder in NatWest, after the taxpayer bailed out the bank during the 2008 financial crisis.