© RT
Laughland noted that the British government took over the Royal Bank of Scotland Group in 2008, at the time of the financial crisis, and still owns approximately 75 percent of its shares. He believes Monday's disturbing announcement to be "politically inspired."
"My suspicion is that it's part of a coordinated and Europe-wide policy of harassment against organizations of that are associated with Russia," Laughland told RT from Paris. "We must understand this policy of harassment and hostility within the context of the decision taken about six months ago at a European Union summit, at which it was decided on the EU-level to combat 'Russian propaganda and disinformation,'" as it's being called.
The EU has even established a special unit specifically designed to combat so-called "Russian disinformation and, particularly RT, which more than any other news outlet has irritated people in the West because it has a very muscular editorial policy," he explained.
Laughland reiterated the "real political motives" behind this latest move, mentioning Boris Johnson, the new [UK] Foreign Secretary, who told a recent Tory Party conference that, although Britain was leaving the EU, it "wouldn't abandon being in the forefront of sanctions against Russia."
Laughland said Johnson implied that "Britain would increase its call for sanctions against Russia while in the process of leaving the EU."
Meanwhile, George Galloway, British politician and host of RT's 'Sputnik,' said the announcement by the Bank of Scotland "is shocking but not surprising."
"It comes at a time when it has been obvious in parliament and in the deep state that there is a state of anxiety about the growing influence and popularity of RT in the country", he said.
According to Galloway, part of the explanation comes from the fact that the BBC is losing influence and credibility.
The announcement to freeze RT's accounts "coincides with a simultaneous fall in credibility of the British state broadcaster, the BBC (...), he said.
"Fewer and fewer people are watching [the BBC] and less and less (...) are paying very much attention to what it says. It is just crude British state propaganda.
"They have been nervous about RT for some time," he added.
Galloway expressed no doubt as to who was behind the decision.
"This bank is owned by the British government. This is a decision taken by the British government. It flows from the discussions of the last few weeks about intensifying sanctions against Russia and Syria."
But the charismatic British politician was optimistic that not much would come of this latest move against RT.
"The good news is, this is the 16th year of the 21st century, and no one - and certainly not Boris Johnson - can stop the British people getting access to RT, and they will in increasing numbers."
Why would they follow the American's advice and give RT a good story to describe how their govt and its mainstream media is working for the oligarchy there, same as here? Why help point out the obvious? Was it their intention to expose themselves in this manner? Will they next be releasing documents on all the pedophiles in the govt, churches, schools, media and whatnot? Is this part of their 'coming out' party? Are they aware of what is going on? Are the puppets being setup for their fall?