Lloyds rejects mortgage bid from mother of jailed Palestine Action activist

Lloyds Bank rejected a mortgage application from the mother of Leona Kamio, a jailed Palestine Action activist, citing "adverse media" linked to her daughter's conviction for a violent raid on an Elbit Systems factory. The bank also refused to transfer the application to the sister's name. Kamio herself was previously told Lloyds could not maintain a banking relationship with her while she was in custody. The bank denied political motives.

British banking group Lloyds declined a mortgage application from the mother of Leona Kamio, a pro-Palestinian activist from the 'Palestine Action' group sentenced over a violent raid on an Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in 2024, according to an investigative report by the independent outlet Novara Media. Lloyds Bank told Kamio's mother in June this year that it had reviewed her mortgage application, but its advisers did not feel "comfortable" supporting it at this time due to "adverse media." Lloyds also reportedly refused an attempt to transfer the account's assets into the name of Kamio's sister and pursue the mortgage application through that account. Additionally, Kamio herself had received a letter in February 2025 from the bank while in custody, stating that Lloyds was "unable to maintain a banking relationship" with her. Kamio was one of four members of Palestine Action who were charged with criminal damage and sentenced to a combined total of over 20 years following the Elbit raid. The group caused approximately $1 million in damage and clashed with police officers who arrived at the site. Kamio and two other women present at the raid were sentenced to six years in prison. When Novara inquired with Lloyds about its business relationship with the Kamio family, it rejected any suggestion that political views determine its decisions, stating decisions are based on relevant laws, regulations, account conditions or lending requirements.