One of the world’s oldest private members’ clubs, the Athenaeum once inspired Charles Dickens to write: “One meets so many people there, that one likes to see.”
But some of its current members are far less enthusiastic about one of the historic institution’s newest recruits.
Members are challenging the decision to admit former NatWest chief executive Dame Alison Rose, whose tenure became entangled in the Nigel Farage “debanking” controversy.
The dispute centres on Dame Alison’s admission to the club, with critics arguing that her conduct conflicted with the organisation’s long-standing tradition of remaining apolitical.
Dame Alison resigned as NatWest’s chief executive in July 2023 after Nigel Farage’s bank account was closed amid claims that his political views played a role in the decision.
The Reform UK leader became embroiled in a major dispute with Coutts, the upmarket bank owned by NatWest, after his account was shut down. The controversy later led to Mr Farage receiving an “unspecified sum”, while Dame Alison lost her position.
It has now been alleged that Sir Philip May, chairman of the Athenaeum and husband of former Conservative prime minister Theresa May, “totally ignored” objections from members when pursuing what critics described as a “woke” agenda.
The Pall Mall club was established in 1824 for people with intellectual interests in fields including science, engineering, literature and the arts. Women were admitted as members from 2002. In February last year, 30 members wrote to Sir Philip expressing their “strong opposition” to Dame Alison’s proposed admission.
The Athenaeum Club in Pall Mall, central London, was founded in 1824 for people with intellectual interests in science, engineering, literature and the arts
Dame Alison Rose resigned as NatWest’s chief executive in July 2023 after Nigel Farage’s bank account was closed amid controversy over his political views
Nigel Farage’s account with the upmarket bank Coutts was closed during a 2023 “debanking” controversy
The letter, signed by 30 club members and sent to Sir Philip, said Dame Alison was “unsuitable to become a member”.
They claimed that her reputation would bring the club into disrepute, adding that she did not have the intellectual credentials to qualify for membership.
The Athenaeum, described as a ‘club of the mind’, traditionally requires potential applicants to be eminent in the arts, science, politics or religion, or be a patron of one to be permitted membership.
Past members of the institution include Dickens, Benjamin Disraeli, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, JMW Turner and Sir Noel Coward.
But the members’ letter was ignored. Uproar followed after Dame Alison was admitted into the historic club, turning the debate into a row over a ‘woke agenda’.
Present and former members of the club claimed that the former banker was let in for her wealth and ‘woke credentials’, indicating the club’s ‘money-grabbing’ attitude under Sir Philip’s chairmanship.
One member told the Telegraph: ‘She does not have any outstanding intellectual attainments, but with her banking wealth and her new job in DEI [at a City law firm], May was happy to tread down any objection to her joining.’
Several members also accused Sir Philip of pursuing a Left-wing agenda and behaving in a ‘dictatorial fashion’.
Dame Alison’s admission into the club comes despite the widespread scandal in 2023 over NatWest’s ‘debanking’ of Reform leader Mr Farage for his political views.
In July 2023, Mr Farage obtained internal evidence from the bank suggesting his account with Coutts, which is owned by NatWest Group, had been closed partly due to his political views.
Dame Alison was then forced to stand down as chief executive after she admitted to being the source of an inaccurate story about the politician’s finances – which said the closure was instead for commercial reasons.
The Tories proposed forcing banks to give people more notice of account closure in 2024, but their plans were kyboshed when Rishi Sunak called and then lost the July general election.
After investigating debanking, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) also said it wanted banks to improve the way they treat political figures.
The FCA found that most firms it reviewed did not subject politically exposed persons (PEPs) to excessive checks or deny them an account based on their status.
Nevertheless, most banks and financial firms could improve the way they treat politicians and their families, the regulator concluded.
In December 2023, the Tory government changed the law so that UK PEPs must be treated as ‘inherently lower risk’ than overseas politicians.
Our News Outlet contacted Dame Alison Rose and The Athenaeum Club for comment.
