Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has warned the UK’s financial watchdog over its plans to name firms it’s investigating at an early stage, a rare political intervention against Britain’s top finance regulator.

Jeremy Hunt has warned the Financial Conduct Authority against its plan to “name and shame” companies under investigation in an unusual broadside against the UK’s top financial regulator.

Jeremy Hunt launched a broadside against the financial regulator last night over its plans to name firms under investigation. The chancellor told the FT that he hoped the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) would “re-look” at its decision to make public the subjects of its ongoing investigations.

The government and Financial Conduct Authority are at loggerheads over proposals to name and shame financial firms under investigation.