Skip to content

Why did NatWest's CEO Dame Alison Rose have to step aside?

NatWest boss Dame Alison Rose has resigned, hours after admitting she had made a mistake in speaking about Nigel Farage's relationship with the bank.

She had been heavily criticised for being the source of an inaccurate BBC report about Mr Farage's account at Coutts, which is part of NatWest Group.

The BBC's analysis editor Ros Atkins answers key questions about why NatWest's CEO stepped down.

26 July 2023

Explore More

Mel Giedroyc and Vernon Kay stand on stage, both looking at the camera and dressed in dark clothes, with a cartoon Pudsey the Bear on a screen behind them

Watch: Children in Need 2024... in 91 seconds

Gary Lineker looks at the camera and asks 'how was that?', as he presents Match of the Day for the first time, on 7 August 1999

Watch: 'Any good?' Lineker kicks off 25 years as MOTD host

Indiana Land sign, with snakes and birds

A trip down memory lane with BBC archives

Northern Ireland

Ian Hislop

Ian Hislop laughs off taxi 'shooting' incident

Nigel Farage

Farage: Some candidates did 'enormous harm' to Reform

BBC director general Tim Davie

BBC not aware of 'deeply disturbing' specifics, says Davie

Tim Davie

'We will never tolerate unacceptable behaviour' says BBC boss

Composite picture of Starmer holding hands with wife and Sunak holding hands with wife

Watch party leaders casting their votes

Nigel Farage speaking in the studio

Farage on Reform's candidate controversies and immigration policy

Nigel Farage

Farage claims canvasser's racist comments a 'set-up'

BBC News

BBC presenter Robert Elms celebrates 30 years on air

Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage: We provoked war in Ukraine

Nick Owen

BBC's Nick Owen left in tears by son's MBE message

Ben Chu in studio

A quick take on Reform UK's election 'contract'

Nigel Farage

Reform aims to become real opposition to Labour - Farage

Nick Owen

MBE a 'wow moment' for BBC presenter Nick Owen

Birmingham & Black Country

Man appears to launch at object at Nigel Farage's campaign bus in Barnsley

Watch: Objects thrown at Nigel Farage on open-top bus

Richard Tice and Nigel Farage

Watch: Nigel Farage questioned on Reform UK candidate's Hitler claim

A woman throws contents of a drinks cup in Farage's face

Watch: Nigel Farage has drink thrown over him

Nigel Farage

Farage announced as Reform UK leader and MP candidate

Rachel Reeves

Watch: Reeves 'deeply proud' to be first female chancellor

The Chancellor has presented her first Budget in the Commons.

Twins James and John Makanjuola,

The twins cleaning London's unloved spaces

Entrepreneurs James and John run a cleaning firm, but take it to the next level in their spare time.

Paula Vennells at the Post Office inquiry

Key moments from former Post Office chief's three-day testimony

Paula Vennells faced three days of questions about her role in the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of sub-postmasters.

Paula Vennells reaching for a tissue in the Post Office inqiuiry

Ex-Post Office boss cries while giving evidence

Ex-Post Office boss Paula Vennells is speaking about the incident for the first time in ten years.

Santiago Paredes

Whistleblower claims Boeing supplier sent faulty parts

Spirit AeroSystems supplied Boeing with faulty parts, a former quality inspector has told the BBC.

Tatti Lashes

Tatti Lashes: The school friends who built a beauty empire

Charlotte Tiplady and Elliot Barton explain how together they built up their Tatti Lashes beauty empire from Liverpool.

Ocado has added robotic arms to its newest warehouse near Luton.

Watch Ocado robots in action

Ocado has added robotic arms to its newest warehouse near Luton.

Business Headlines

BBC World News business headlines

The latest international business headlines from BBC World News.

Jo Hamilton

'I feel survivor's guilt' says Post Office victim

Former sub-postmaster Jo Hamilton told BBC Breakfast she feels "guilt" after settling with the government over the Horizon IT scandal.

Woman in sunglasses smiling while answering questions related to the Budget

Watch: 'My biggest financial regret is...'

People in Kent share their finance stories ahead of Wednesday's Budget. Would you share yours?

Mohsin Issa

Issa brother to step back after 'fixing' Asda

Mohsin Issa, one half of the so-called "billionaire brothers" who own Asda, says he plans to hand over the running of the UK's third biggest supermarket.

Robots

'We had to adapt our robots to the AI revolution'

Sandy Enoch of Robotical explains why he had to pivot his educational robot company due to AI.

Picsart

'AI won't steal your job, but people using it may'

Hovhannes Avoyan, founder of picture and video editing app Picsart, shares his advice for our CEO Secrets series.

Picture of The Body Shop storefront in the 80s

'They thought it was a sex shop' - The Body Shop in the '80s

Archive footage shows Dame Anita Roddick talking about her company's success, in an 1984 interview.

Raid on Co-op store

CCTV shows violent raid on Co-op store

The retailer gave the footage to the BBC as it warned of a rise in attacks on retail staff.

Sir Howard Davies

Not that difficult to buy a home, says NatWest chair

Sir Howard Davies says he believes it is not currently "that difficult" for people to get on the housing ladder.

Joanna Jensen

'A viral Facebook post nearly blew up our business'

Joanna Jensen, founder of skincare brand Childs Farm, shares advice for start-ups for our CEO Secrets series.

Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes

Broadband rises must be 'clearer', says Ofcom boss

The regulator has plans to make mobile and broadband firms more upfront about mid-contract price rises.

Earring

'This earring helped me build my £4bn business'

Richard Harpin, co-founder of Homeserve, explains how an earring taught him an early business lesson.

Olivia DeRamus and BBC reporter Lora Jones

'Taking control of my abuse story'

Olivia DeRamus set up an app in the wake of her sexual assault. Now she's ready to take on Big Tech.