‘Abject failure’: U.K. lawmakers sound off on FCA’s failed 'naming and shaming' enforcement
By 
Neil Hodge2025-03-17T14:18:00
U.K. lawmakers slammed the country’s chief financial regulator’s hopes of “naming and shaming” firms as part of its efforts to beef up enforcement, 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.
Michael Forsyth, chairman of the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee, called the FCA’s consultation attempts to change its enforcement tactics “an abject failure.”
Related articles
-
ArticleFCA drops ‘naming and shaming’ approach – except in ‘exceptional circumstances’
The UK’s financial regulator has had a rough ride over the past couple of years as its strategy to “name and shame” firms it opened investigations into was widely slammed by the industry and lawmakers over concerns that companies could be unfairly maligned.
-
ArticleU.K. reins in crypto firms to combat ‘scandal’ of freewheeling finfluencers
Up to 25,000 people a year in the U.K. are illegally promoting financial products or offering financial advice on social media, but none have yet appeared in court, according to the first Treasury Select Committee meeting on the subject of so-called “finfluencers.” Regulated financial services firms must comply with strict ...
-
PremiumDelayed UK antitrust case underscores compliance, reputational risks
Antitrust infringement cases in the United Kingdom can run on for years, but there’s a question whether issuing fines that are dwarfed by the revenues of those organisations involved is a worthy deterrent—particularly if they are imposed over a decade after the misconduct ended. It’s also debatable whether the first ...
More from Regulatory Policy
-
ArticleNew regulatory regimes for U.K. and EU ESG ratings firms could increase compliance costs
Environmental ratings are becoming big business as companies seek proof of sustainable and socially beneficial conduct. Firms that issue ratings on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance are set to be regulated in the EU and U.K.
-
ArticleFRC’s plans for more flexible enforcement gains support
Plans to give the U.K.’s audit regulator more options to regulate firms for sloppy work have been largely well received by experts, who believe the current system is “inflexible,” “cumbersome,” and “slow.”
-
News BriefFDIC eases leverage rules for banks, citing lower risk burdens
The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation issued a final rule to change the leverage capital requirements for both large and community banks. The agency said the modification will ”reduce disincentives a banking organization may have to engage in lower-risk activities.”