Muslim Council of Britain calls for an impartial review examining why British Muslims are ‘disproportionately affected’

British Muslims have been “disproportionately” denied banking services and had their bank accounts closed “without adequate transparency and recourse”, campaigners have said.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which serves as the largest representative body for UK Muslims, sent letters to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and opposition party leaders on Tuesday demanding the protection of universal banking rights.

“We urge for an impartial review that not only addresses the mechanisms behind bank account closures but also examines why British Muslims are disproportionately affected by this issue.” Said MCB’s Secretary General Zara Mohammed.

The MCB’s intervention comes after figures from Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority named Muslims as the only faith group likely to be “unbanked” in Britain.

Fadi Itani, the CEO of the UK-based Muslim Charities Forum, says that charities have been facing bank closures for over two decades and are often “over-policed” by banks and their policies.

Source: Middle East Eye