London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, May 11, 2025

'Significant' interest rate rise to come, Bank of England chief economist suggests

'Significant' interest rate rise to come, Bank of England chief economist suggests

The Bank asserted yesterday that it is happy to push the brake on the economy by raising interest rates while the government presses the accelerator by cutting taxes.

The Bank of England's chief economist has said the government's mini-budget, which led to the pound falling to a record low against the dollar, will require "a significant monetary policy response".

Speaking at the International Monetary Policy Forum, Huw Pill reasserted the Bank of England's willingness to act to rein in inflation.

"I think it's hard not to draw the conclusion that all this will require a significant monetary policy response. Let me leave it there," the member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which sets interest rates, said.

There will be "challenging times" to bring inflation back to the regulator's 2% target, Mr Pill said. But he vowed to stick to that target: "Let me assure you, the MPC has a very good understanding of its mandate to maintain price stability and its remit to return inflation to the 2% target."

Recent market conditions have created "additional challenges", he added.

The government's mini-budget last Friday will act as a stimulus to the economy, he said.

Mr Pill described Monday's announcement from the Treasury, which committed to a further, costed fiscal announcement in November with the oversight of the Office of Budget Responsibility and a spring budget, as "helpful".

The pound rose 0.85% to $1.07 in response to the announcement.

Mr Pill has been the Bank's chief economist since last September and has consistently voted in line with Andrew Bailey, the governor, and the MPC as a whole on their interest rate decisions.

The Bank asserted yesterday that it is happy to push the brake on the economy by raising interest rates while the government presses the accelerator by cutting taxes.

The conflicting government and currency policies have attracted comment from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

A spokesperson for the international financial institution said on Tuesday it is important that fiscal policy does not work at cross purposes to monetary policy.

The fiscal measures adopted, following the mini-budget, will likely increase inequality, the spokesperson said.

"Given elevated inflation pressures in many countries, including the UK, we do not recommend large and untargeted fiscal packages at this juncture," they added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump fires director of U.S. Copyright Office, sources say
Retired British police officer arrested over ‘thought crime’ tweet
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at ICE Facility Amid Congressional Visit
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
×