Bank Blacklist Dispute: Brother-in-Law of Boris Johnson Barred from Changing Money Overseas

In a rather interesting turn of events, Ivo Dawnay, the brother-in-law of Boris Johnson, has claimed that he was denied the use of a currency exchange service abroad due to his political connections. Dawnay, who is married to the former prime minister’s younger sister Rachel, shared his experience in a piece he wrote for The Spectator. According to his account, when attempting to exchange $200 (£160) at a bureau de change in the baggage hall of Mexico City airport, he was asked to fill out multiple forms, one of which inquired whether he was a “politically exposed person” (PEP) after his passport was scanned.

A PEP, as defined by Lexis Nexis risk solutions, is an individual who, due to their influential position, is considered more vulnerable to bribery or corruption. Dawnay, a 70-year-old journalist, humorously pondered whether his status as an “OAP PEP” (referring to himself as an Old Age Pensioner) would pose any threat to the government of President Andrés Manuel Lopéz Obrador.

However, to his surprise, the officials at the bureau de change informed him that he was indeed a politically exposed person and therefore could not utilize their services since it was government-affiliated. They advised him to seek a currency exchange service outside the arrival hall. This incident adds to the growing number of notable figures who claim that their bank accounts have been closed due to their political opinions.

In response to such concerns, Treasury officials have instructed the City watchdog to conduct an urgent review of the regulations surrounding politically exposed persons. Several public figures, including Nigel Farage, have expressed grievances over their accounts being abruptly shut down. Additionally, a vicar shared that his bank dropped him after he criticized the institution’s stance on LBGTQ+ matters. Metro Bank also faced accusations of refusing to open a new account for a gender-critical parents group due to their political views.

Keith Jordan, the founder of the group, alleged that a manager at Metro Bank cited conflicting content on their website with the bank’s promoted culture and ideas as the reason for denying them a business account. The bank, however, asserts that it maintains a politically neutral standpoint and any decision to close or review an account is dictated solely by commercial reasons.