Tuesday 18 September 2018 5:58 pm | Updated: Tuesday 21 May 2019 4:27 pm

Noel Edmonds brands Archbishop of Canterbury a “reincarnation of evil” over Lloyds investment

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TV presenter Noel Edmonds branded the Archbishop of Canterbury a "reincarnation of evil" for investing in Lloyds Bank and failing to meet with HBOS fraud victims.

The Deal or No Deal star, who is seeking £64m in damages from Lloyds, said Justin Welby was a hypocrite after the church leader last week mounted an attack on zero hours contracts and companies such as Amazon, despite revelations that the Church itself uses the same type of contracts.

“Does he have a divine right to be an arsehole?” Edmonds said during a panel at the SME Alliance meeting, ITV news reported.

“And I reckon that I’m justified in calling him that and much worse because he won’t meet me or any Lloyds victims and the church is one of the biggest investors in Lloyds Banking Group."

“Justin Welby, [you] used the expression but I think you are the reincarnation of an ancient evil,” he said.

Bankers at the HBOS branch in Reading were jailed last year for a £245m scam, which destroyed a number of businesses as the proceeds were spent on holidays, luxury goods and prostitutes.

Lloyds Banking Group is one of the Church Commissioners 20 most valuable share holdings, according to last year's annual report.

City AM has approached Lambeth Palace for comment.