Everyone lost in the Coutts bank scandal... except Nigel Farage

One moment Alison Rose was being hailed as Britain’s leading female executive, the next she had quit her job as Natwest chief amid a row involving Coutts bank and the ex-Ukip leader. Chris Blackhurst looks back on the biggest business story of the last year

Alison Rose left her job as Natwest CEO amid the furore over Nigel Farage having one of his bank accounts closed (PA/Getty)

My editor loves setting challenges. He’s asked for one standout City story of the year, a tale that defines 2023.

Well, in 12 months devoid of spectacular deals, with a sluggish market and an economy that at best was flat, it’s not easy. There were few OMG moments, no epic fraud trials (not in the UK anyway) that were ground-shaking.

But there was one episode that had everything. It was a veritable Christmas pudding of an affair, containing every ingredient possible.