Lloyds rejects mortgage bid from mother of jailed Palestine Action activist

The mother of jailed Palestine Action activist Leona Kamio says Lloyds rejected her mortgage application after citing “adverse media” linked to her daughter’s conviction.

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.

According to the report, 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.

“We’ve now assessed the deal and consulted with our credit sanction team. Unfortunately, due to the adverse media, it’s not something they’re comfortable supporting at this time,” the Lloyds statement read.

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, according to Novara.

Additionally, it was reported that 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.

What did Leona Kamio do with Palestine Action?

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. 

Prosecutors asserted the raid had been “carefully planned,” and the sentence was raised from its initial estimate after the judge in the case determined that there was a ‘terrorism connection' to the actions of the group.

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 reportedly inquired with Lloyds about its business relationship with the Kamio family, it rejected any suggestion that political views determine its decisions.

“We do not close customer accounts or make lending decisions based on political or personal beliefs. Our decisions are based on relevant laws, regulations, account conditions or lending requirements. We’re unable to comment on individual cases,” a Lloyds spokesperson told Novara.