If you want to write to your Coop Bank account and tell them that you no longer want to bank with them because of their decision to close the Palestine Solidarity Campaign bank, you can use the text of the letter below. Just copy and paste it into a new document on your computer and add in your details:
Your name
Address 1
Address 2
City
Postcode
Branch Manager
Branch
Address 1
Address 2
City
Postcode
Date
Ref: Closing my account.
Account number:
Sort Code:
Dear Branch Manager
I am writing to close my Co-operative bank account, due to your treatment of organisations working for Palestine. You have unilaterally chosen to close or deny accounts to at least 20 organisations working for Palestinian human rights, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. In doing so have turned your back on the ethical principles that led me to open my account with you in the first place.
In your ethical policy you claim to act with “honesty and transparency,” to treat your “customers fairly” and to believe in “promoting human rights and equality”. However I see little evidence of any of this in your decision. You have chosen to close the accounts of those standing up for human rights and equality whilst offering no honest of transparent explanation, only citing “risk appetite”.
It is quite clear that the Co-operative bank no longer cares about human rights – the Palestinians have their human rights abused day in, day out at the hands of an occupying military force that continues to violate international law. The Co-operative bank should support organisations working to stand up for Palestinian human rights, not punish them.
Therefore I have decided to close my bank account with the Co-operative bank. I am sending a copy of this letter to your CEO.
Yours Sincerely
C.c. Niall Brooker. CEO, Co-operative Bank, PO Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester, M60 4EP