The U.K.’s chief financial regulator has had its hopes of “naming and shaming” firms as part of its efforts to beef up enforcement slammed by lawmakers, denting its credibility in the process and questioning the leadership of its chief executive.

The criticism is likely to result in the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) either watering down its proposals to name the financial firms it is investigating or abandoning them altogether as two flawed attempts in the past 12 months have succeeded in both riling the industry and a key parliamentary committee.

Neil Hodge is a freelance business journalist and photographer based in Nottingham, United Kingdom. He writes on insurance and risk management, corporate governance, internal audit, compliance, and legal...