The head of the Bank of England swiped at Donald Trump‘s ‘dangerous’ attacks on the US Federal Reserve today.
Andrew Bailey said pressure being put on the central bank in America was a ‘very serious situation’.
Mr Bailey raised the concerns as he gave evidence to MPs on the Commons Treasury Select Committee this afternoon.
Mr Trump has repeatedly demanded the Fed, led by chairman Jerome Powell, reduce its key interest rate, which has been kept unchanged for the last five meetings.
Meanwhile, there has been a backlash at the president’s move to sack governor Lisa Cook over allegations that she committed mortgage fraud when purchasing a home in 2021 – which she denies.
Andrew Bailey said pressure being put on the central bank in America was a ‘very serious situation’
Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded the Fed, led by chairman Jerome Powell, (pictured together) reduce its key interest rate, which has been kept unchanged for the last five meetings
The Fed, like the Bank of England, operates independently of the government – meaning it sets interest rate policy without political control.
Mr Bailey said : ‘This is a very serious situation and I am very concerned because the Federal Reserve is the central bank for the world’s strongest economy … it has built up a very strong reputation for its independence and for its decision-making.’
The governor told MPs that ‘monetary stability and financial stability underpin the foundations of policy’ that enables governments to make appropriate political decisions.
‘I think what we’re now seeing is people saying we should be able to trade off the foundations for those other decisions, and I’m afraid I just think that is a very dangerous road to go down,’ he said.
He told the committee: ‘The job of an independent central bank is to provide those foundations, to take independent decisions to do it, within the remit that we’re given … that’s how it works, that’s how it should work.
‘And so the threats to that I take very seriously.’
Asked by Labour MP John Grady whether losing the independence of central banks could result in ‘higher prices, higher mortgages and higher cost of borrowing for social housing and businesses’, Mr Bailey said that was ‘correct’.
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BoE chief Andrew Bailey takes aim at Donald Trump’s ‘dangerous’ attacks on independence of US Federal Reserve