The Chair of the London Assembly has had his bank account shut down after making an official visit to Ukraine, prompting calls for an urgent review of how British banks apply sanctions rules.
Andrew Boff, the Assembly’s chairman and a Conservative member, was locked out of his finances after travelling to the war‑torn country on May 27, 2026.
He visited Ukraine as part of the Ukraine Recovery Conference’s International Summit of Cities and Regions, organised with the Council of Europe.
His bank, first direct, owned by HSBC, terminated his account after flagging transactions made in what it described as a “sanctioned country”.
Mr Boff spent just £36 during his single day in Ukraine before returning to Britain.
After arriving home, he discovered his bank card had been deactivated.
First direct staff were initially unable to explain why access to his account had been restricted. It was not until July 8 that he received a letter outlining the bank’s decision.
The correspondence said: “As part of regulations, we must comply with sanction laws and manage any risks effectively. Following a recent review, we determined that the management of these risks is outside of our acceptable limits. We have identified transactions made in a sanctioned country.”
‘Banks must know the difference between buying coffee in Ukraine and Russia’: London Assembly chair has account shut down after Kyiv trip
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LONDON ASSEMBLY
The explanation arrived more than five weeks after his return.
The bank has not specified which country it considers sanctioned, nor clarified when the flagged transactions took place. Mr Boff said staff were unable to provide any further detail beyond the wording of the letter.
Despite holding an account with first direct for nearly 30 years, he said he was given no opportunity to appeal. He has previously travelled to Ukraine without encountering any banking issues.
Mr Boff is now urging Britons planning to visit Ukraine, whether for official duties or humanitarian support, to be aware they could face similar action. He is calling for answers from banking officials and wants policies reviewed to ensure travellers are not penalised for legitimate visits.
The email sent to Mr Boff
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LONDON ASSEMBLY
“It is imperative that we have a robust sanctions programme so as to clamp down on the means that the Russian war machine has to fund its brutal war,” he said.
“But a robust sanctions programme is one which can differentiate between buying a coffee in Ukraine and a coffee in Russia.”
He added: “I am disappointed that first direct has been unable to communicate more comprehensively, and that there has been no way for me to clarify to them what has happened with the hope of regaining access to my savings and direct debits.
“This is simply unacceptable and I hope that the system can be revised before more Britons are caught this way.”
Mr Boff also raised concerns about HSBC’s business interests in Hong Kong and China, saying he found the treatment of a British customer following an official visit to Ukraine particularly troubling.
HSBC declined to comment.