Mundell to challenge RBS over ‘withdrawal from half of Scotland’

Scottish secretary argues many customers do not have the option to switch to online

The Scottish secretary is to challenge RBS chiefs over its “withdrawal from half of Scotland”.

David Mundell said the Royal Bank of Scotland’s reliance on the rise of online banking for shutting 62 branches north of the border is “not good enough”.

The UK Government has so far refused to intervene in what they call a “commercial decision”.

But Mr Mundell, who is in Theresa May’s Cabinet, says he will express the country’s anger to executives from the taxpayer-owned bank today.

Eight of the RBS branches set to close are in Tayside and Fife. It comes on top of the Bank of Scotland decision to shut 49 of its own local banks in the area.

Asked in the Commons yesterday about the lack of broadband coverage in parts of Scotland, Mr Mundell said: “It’s not good enough for RBS to say that people can rely on internet and mobile banking when so many people in Scotland do not have access to the internet or effective mobile services.

“I am meeting with the Royal Bank tomorrow and I will be conveying, which I think is across the house, the concerns at this programme of closures.”

The meeting, due to take place in Edinburgh this afternoon, is with Les Matheson, the bank’s chief executive of personal and business banking.

A source close to Mr Mundell, who is seeing six branches close in his Borders constituency, said the Secretary of State will leave RBS in no doubt of the anger felt in Scotland about the closures.

“It’s not long ago the bank was reinforcing its name as a Scottish bank, now it’s withdrawing from half of Scotland,” the source said.

“RBS shouldn’t think that being a Scottish bank is just about having scenic advertising pictures of Scotland’s landscape.

“It’s about serving the people of Scotland.”

Two of the branches – Aberfeldy and Pitlochry – are marked for closure in Highland Perthshire, which has some of the worst broadband connections in the UK.

The UK Government has come under pressure from Labour and the SNP since last week’s announcement to step in to halt the cost-saving programme.

RBS says customers who are losing their branch will still be able to perform some tasks locally at mobile banks, post offices and cash machines.

A spokesman for the bank said: “We’re providing our customers with more ways to bank than ever before – they can choose from a range of digital to face-to-face options.”

“I will be conveying... the concerns at this programme of closures

Picture: Getty. Mr Mundell, above, will meet Les Matheson, the Royal Bank of Scotland’s chief executive of personal and business banking, in Edinburgh today.