London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Mar 08, 2026

Bank of England economist hints at 'significant' rate rise

Bank of England economist hints at 'significant' rate rise

The Bank of England has hinted it is prepared to ramp up interest rates in response to the recent slump in the value of the pound.

Its chief economist said the Bank will have to deliver a "significant monetary policy response" to protect sterling.

Huw Pill said that there had been "significant market consequences" after the chancellor announced a series of tax cuts.

It comes as several banks have pulled mortgage deals for new customers.

Speaking at the International Monetary Policy Forum on Tuesday, Mr Pill said that the Bank was "certainly not indifferent to the repricing of financial assets that we have seen".

A pledge of further tax cuts by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and worries about higher interest rates knocked investors' confidence and saw the pound touch a record low against the dollar on Monday.

Some economists predicted that the Bank of England might call an emergency meeting as soon as this week to raise rates, to help stem the fall in sterling and keep a lid on the rising cost of living.

The rate increase seen this month was the seventh in a row and took rates to the highest for 14 years. A further rise would increase monthly mortgage costs for millions of homeowners.

Experts now forecast that interest rates could reach 5.5% or even higher by next spring, prompting lenders such as Santander and Virgin Money to pull mortgage deals because of the lack of certainty on how far they might go.

Mr Pill, who sits on the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which sets interest rates, said on Tuesday: "I do want to flag clearly at this point that in my view the combination of fiscal announcements that we've seen will act as a stimulus."

"It is hard not to draw the conclusion that this will require a significant monetary policy response."

He added that the Bank takes its responsibilities "very seriously", although did acknowledge that the next scheduled decision on interest rates seemed a while away for many homeowners and savers.

Speaking in a personal capacity, he added that there were "challenging times" ahead for the Bank as it tried to bring inflation, which tracks how the cost of living changes over time, back to its target of 2%.

Mr Pill also said that the recent announcement by the Treasury on a further fiscal event in November, alongside new economic forecasts from the OBR was "helpful".

The chancellor's plans will require a large increase in government borrowing and concerns among investors about the UK's ability to pay that debt led to the value of the pound falling and pushed the cost of UK government borrowing to near record levels.

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng said, though, that the government is "confident in our long-term strategy to drive economic growth through tax cuts" and "supply side reform " would work.

Mr Kwarteng is set to meet Wall Street bankers on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported, after meeting asset management firms and insurance brokers from the City of London on Tuesday, following market turmoil over his fiscal plans.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Dentists Returned £1.3 Billion to Government as Shift Toward Private Care Accelerates
Expert Warns UK Must Build Emergency Food Stockpiles to Prepare for Climate Shocks or War
UK Plans Charter Flight to Evacuate British Nationals from Gulf as Regional Conflict Disrupts Air Travel
Families of Zimbabwe’s Liberation Fighters Call on Britain to Help Locate Skulls Taken During Colonial War
Iran’s Ambassador Warns Britain to ‘Be Very Careful’ Over Deeper Role in Expanding Middle East War
UK Military Leadership Defends Britain’s Defensive Role in Expanding Middle East Conflict
Four U.S. Strategic Bombers Arrive in Britain as Iran War Intensifies
Soham Murderer Ian Huntley Dies After Violent Attack in High-Security Prison
UK Lawmakers and Experts Condemn Scale of Overseas Human Remains Held in British Museums
Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales Placed on Standby for Potential Deployment
United Kingdom Confirms U.S. Military Using British Bases for Operations Targeting Iranian Missile Sites
Starmer Defends UK Role in Iran Conflict After Renewed Criticism from President Trump
Blue Owl Reveals £36 Million Exposure After Collapse of UK Lender Serving Wealthy Clients
UK Asylum Reform Plan Triggers Fierce Debate Over Border Control and Humanitarian Impact
US Stealth Bombers Head to UK Base as Trump Issues Stark Warning to Iran
UK Deputy Prime Minister Says Legal Case Could Exist for British Strikes on Iranian Missile Sites
Investigators Link Mysterious Parcel Fires Across Europe to Russian Intelligence Operation
Debate Intensifies Over Britain’s Legal Justification for US Military Operations Launched From UK Bases
Britain Faces Heightened Energy Price Risks as Iran-Linked Tensions Threaten Global Oil and Gas Supplies
British Counter-Terror Police Arrest Four Suspected of Spying on Jewish Community for Iran
Axel Springer Agrees $770 Million Deal to Acquire Britain’s Daily Telegraph
Iceland Supermarket Drops Trademark Challenge Against Icelandic Government in Long-Running Naming Dispute
UK Defence Secretary Visits Cyprus Following Scrutiny of Britain’s Response to Drone Attacks
Questions Grow Over Britain’s Military Readiness as Response to Iran Conflict Draws Scrutiny
UK Offers Failed Asylum Seeker Families Up to Forty Thousand Pounds to Leave Voluntarily
Saharan Dust Could Bring ‘Blood Rain’ to Parts of the UK as Weather Systems Shift
UK Deploys Additional Typhoon Fighter Jets to Qatar and Helicopters to Cyprus Amid Rising Middle East Tensions
Experts Urge Britain to Accelerate Renewable Energy Push as Global Conflicts Drive Up Costs
British Public Shows Strong Reluctance to Join Wider War in Iran
First UK Evacuation Flight Departs Middle East After Lengthy Delay
United Kingdom Imposes New Visa Requirements on Travelers from St. Lucia and Nicaragua
Iran Conflict Strains U.S.–U.K. Alliance as Trump and Starmer Clash Over Military Strategy
UK Interest Rates Could Rise Above Four Percent Again if Energy Shock Continues, Think Tank Warns
Starmer Defends Britain’s Iran Strategy as Badenoch Urges Stronger Military Support
Labour MP Says She Saw No Sign Husband Broke Law After Arrest in China Espionage Investigation
UK Jobless Rate Overtakes Italy’s for First Time in Years as Labour Market Weakens
United Kingdom Suspends Student Visas for Four Countries in Unprecedented Immigration Move
Campaigners Warn UK Student Visa Ban Could Push Migrants Toward Dangerous Channel Crossings
First U.K. Charter Flight for Stranded Nationals Set to Depart Oman Amid Middle East Crisis
France and United Kingdom Deploy Warships to Eastern Mediterranean as Middle East Conflict Escalates
U.K. Arrests Three Men Including Lawmaker’s Partner in Suspected China Espionage Investigation
Trump Says UK–US ‘Special Relationship’ Is Diminished Amid Middle East Dispute
UK Economic Forecasts Face Fresh Strain from Middle East Conflict and Rising Energy Costs
UK Reaffirms Close US Ties After Trump’s Public Criticism
Reeves Stresses Stability and Fiscal Discipline in UK Budget Update as Growth Outlook Shifts
UK Deploys Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon to Cyprus After Drone Strike on RAF Base
Green Party Surges Past Labour in New UK Poll as Traditional Party Support Crumbles
Majority of Britons Oppose U.S. Use of UK Military Bases in Iran Conflict
UK Intensifies Evacuation Efforts from Oman, Working with Airlines to Boost Flight Capacity
Trump Condemns UK and Spain in Unusually Sharp Rift Over Iran Military Action
×