Popular news outlet Russia Today, funded by the Russian Federation, was sent a letter from the Royal Bank of Scotland to close their account
Apparently, the Royal Bank of Scotland does not like Russia Today.
Their subsidiary, NatWest bank, through which popular Russian funded news website Russia Today does their banking, sent Margarita Simonyan, RT’s editor-in-chief, a letter today saying they were no longer interested in doing business with RT. Simonyan broke the news earlier today through her twitter account, and RT gave a more thorough explanation soon afterwards. Simonyan also shared excerpts from related letters through her facebook account showing solidarity from Steven Hedley, Senior Assistant Secretary General of the Trade Union of Transport Workers (RMT) regarding the brash decision of the bank.
Director of Studies at the Institute of Democracy and Cooperation in Paris, John Laughland told RT reporters that the British government owns 75% of the Royal Bank of Scotland and feels there is obvious political inspiration behind the move.
“My suspicion is that it’s part of a coordinated and Europe-wide policy of harassment against organizations that are associated with Russia. We must understand this policy of harassment and hostility within the context of the decision taken about six months ago at a European Union summit, at which it was decided on the EU-level to combat ‘Russian propaganda and disinformation’ as it’s being called. The EU has even established a special unit specifically designed to combat so-called Russian disinformation and, particularly RT, which more than any other news outlet has irritated people in the West because it has a very muscular editorial policy..”
Boris Johnson, the United Kingdom’s new Foreign Secretary, was heard speaking to a Tory Party conference with words along the lines that, although Britain was leaving the EU, it “wouldn’t abandon being in the forefront of sanctions against Russia.”
A copy of the NatWest letter found on RT’s site is below:
Нам закрыли счета в Британии. Все счета. 'Решение пересмотру не подлежит'. Да здравствует свобода слова!
— Маргарита Симоньян (@M_Simonyan) October 17, 2016
UK move on RT 'part of EU policy of harassment against Russia-linked organizations' (Op-Edge) https://t.co/Zq6MpPXvdz
— RT (@RT_com) October 17, 2016