Lloyds Bank has refused a mortgage application from the mother of a jailed Palestine Action activist because of “adverse media” surrounding her daughter’s case, an investigation by Novara Media has revealed. It is the second time the bank has acted against the family, having earlier closed the activist’s own account without explanation while she was held on remand.
Emma Kamio, a small business owner and mother of three from south Wales, applied to Lloyds in April 2026 to remortgage her commercial properties. In early June, a Lloyds business development manager told her broker: “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 rejection came before her daughter was sentenced.
The daughter of Emma Kamio, Leona “Ellie” Kamio, is one of the so-called Filton 4, convicted over a 2024 direct action at an Elbit Systems factory in Filton, Gloucestershire, in which quadcopter drones destined for Israel’s military were damaged. In June, a court confirmed the group would be sentenced under terrorism legislation – the first time direct-action protesters have been sentenced as terrorists in British legal history, according to Amnesty International. They are now appealing their sentences.
