The firebrand left-wing politician alleged the bank had shut down his accounts without notice or explanation.
Goerge Galloway is suing Bank of Scotland after claiming they shut down his bank account which he held for 40 years. The veteran left-wing politician, 72, said his account which he held in the bank’s Byres Road branch in Glasgow was closed “without explanation or notice”.
Dundee-born Galloway alleges the action was unlawful. Lawyers representing the former MP confirmed they’ve launched legal proceedings against Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Bank of Scotland.
Writing on social media, Galloway said: “Thirty-nine years ago, I opened a personal bank account with Bank of Scotland in Byres Road, Glasgow. Yesterday without explanation or notice they closed my accounts.
“My parliamentary and old age pensions are paid into these accounts. The mortgage on our family home is paid out of them. They haven’t heard the last of this.”
In a flurry of furious follow-up posts, he warned the bank: “I will not stand by while you use your usurious power to wreck my family life… you have broken the law and you must already know that.”
Galloway, who has recently been living outside of the UK including stays in Russia and China, alleged he’d been given no notice of the closure. The socialist firebrand and broadcaster, who leads the Workers Party of Britain, added he’d been sent a cheque with his funds but had “no other bank with which I can lodge it”.
Yesterday Galloway wrote: “Who gave the order to Lloyds Bank to close my 39 year account with Bank of Scotland? We don’t know.
“But in the light of my legal team’s injunction upon them this afternoon on the preservation of evidence, we will find out. Count on it.”
KRW Law said in a statement: “We confirm that we have issued pre-action correspondence to Lloyds Bank in respect of the actions of Bank of Scotland. Without explanation or notice they closed the bank accounts of our client George Galloway.”
Galloway, who served as Labour MP for Glasgow Hillhead and Kelvin from 1987-2005, has long courted controversy for his strident views on foreign policy, the Middle East and Russia. He was expelled from Labour under Tony Blair over his opposition to the Iraq War.
He is also a fierce critic of Israel’s occupation of Palestine – and defeated Labour in the 2024 Rochdale by-election by hammering the party on Gaza, although lost his seat months later in the general election.
We previously told how pro-Gaza activist groups have seen their bank accounts frozen without explanation amid fears of a widening crackdown on free speech and protest. The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign has been blocked since last June from accessing more than £20,000 of funds it holds with Unity Bank.
Last year, Galloway and his wife were stopped by counter-terrorism police at Gatwick Airport but then released without charge. He said the incident was an attempt to silence him and revealed he’d since been living in Russia in “self-imposed exile” until it’s safe to return.
In 2023, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed his bank account with Coutts had been closed due to his political views.
A Bank of Scotland spokesman said: “Our policy is not to close a customer’s account based on political or personal beliefs and we make customers aware if we make the decision to close an account. We’re unable to comment on individual cases.”
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