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Governor warns of slow recovery Governor warns of slow recovery
(31 minutes later)
The Governor of the Bank of England has said there were signs the economy was picking up but warned the recovery could be "protracted". The Governor of the Bank of England has said there were signs the economy was picking up, but warned that the recovery could be "protracted".
Mervyn King said more capital might be needed to boost the banking system during the annual Mansion House dinner. Mervyn King, speaking during the annual Mansion House dinner, said more capital might be needed to boost banking.
He said the major lesson of the finance crisis was that authorities lacked the means to take effective action.He said the major lesson of the finance crisis was that authorities lacked the means to take effective action.
At the same event the Chancellor said he had no plans to fundamentally change the oversight of finance firms. At the same event, the Chancellor said he had no plans to fundamentally change the oversight of finance firms.
This came in contrast to plans unveiled earlier on Wednesday by US President Barack Obama, which involved the most significant reform of finance regulation since the Depression. This came in contrast to plans unveiled earlier on Wednesday by US President Barack Obama, which involved the most significant reform of finance regulation since the 1930s Depression.
Mr King questioned how the central bank would be able to implement its new legal powers to promote financial stability.Mr King questioned how the central bank would be able to implement its new legal powers to promote financial stability.
"It is not entirely clear how the Bank will be able to discharge its new statutory responsibility," he said."It is not entirely clear how the Bank will be able to discharge its new statutory responsibility," he said.
Fiscal policy The BBC's business editor Robert Peston said the comments are bound to be seen as as an attack on the Chancellor because "the Treasury has resisted significant changes to the allocation of regulatory responsibilities between the Financial Services Authority, the Treasury and Bank of England".
"It it too soon to reverse the extraordinary policy stimulus that has been injected into the UK economy through monetary policy, the provision of liquidity support to banks, guarantees of bank funding and fiscal policy," said Mr King. The Treasury has resisted significant changes to the allocation of regulatory responsibilities Robert Peston, BBC business editor class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/2009/06/governor_criticises_government.html">Robert Peston's blog
He traced back the problems of the finance sector saying it had become too "big and too highly leveraged". 'Too big'
Mr King outlined the problems of the finance sector, saying it had become too "big and too highly leveraged".
"One important practical step would be to require any regulated bank itself to produce a plan for an orderly wind down of its activities," he said."One important practical step would be to require any regulated bank itself to produce a plan for an orderly wind down of its activities," he said.
He said whatever the shape and rules governing the finance system long term, "change was necessary".He said whatever the shape and rules governing the finance system long term, "change was necessary".
"Is some banks are thought to be too big to fail, then, in the words of a distinguished American economist, they are too big.""Is some banks are thought to be too big to fail, then, in the words of a distinguished American economist, they are too big."
RulesRules
Meanwhile Mr Darling in talking about the origins of the financial crisis said the current regulatory system was not to blame for the credit crunch, but instead pointed to the bosses of financial institutions. But in contrast, the Chancellor said the current regulatory system was not to blame for the credit crunch, but instead pointed to the heads of financial institutions.
He wants to improve the quality of the regulators and those who run banks. The banking system, which includes a tripartite system, with the Treasury, Bank of England and Financial Services Authority (FSA), has been widely criticised for failing to prevent excessive risk taking at banks.
There is currently a tripartite system, with the Treasury, Bank of England and Financial Services Authority (FSA). But Mr Darling said: "The solution is not as simple, as some suggested, as restricting the size of banks", adding that smaller institutions could also threaten the financial system.
The system has been widely criticised for failing to prevent excessive risk taking at banks. While the banking system has been helped by increasing capital and isolating their impaired assets, more needed to be done, notably to increase the availability of credit - an essential tool for economic recovery.
The tripartite system was introduced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown when he was chancellor. Looking ahead, he said there a change of culture was required and the focus had to be long-term wealth creation, not short term profits.
He said staff needed to be "rewarded for long-term success, not for failure".