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| Bank of England governor Mark Carney rattled as he defends forward guidance | Bank of England governor Mark Carney rattled as he defends forward guidance |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, has launched a staunch defence of his pledge to keep interest rates at record lows for up to three years, claiming that it has "reinforced recovery". | |
| Carney faced tough questioning from the cross-party Treasury select committee of MPs about the likely consequences of the monetary policy committee's new "forward guidance" strategy. | Carney faced tough questioning from the cross-party Treasury select committee of MPs about the likely consequences of the monetary policy committee's new "forward guidance" strategy. |
| But he insisted: "Overall, my view is that the announcement has reinforced recovery. It's made policy more effective, and more effective policy is stimulative at the margin." | But he insisted: "Overall, my view is that the announcement has reinforced recovery. It's made policy more effective, and more effective policy is stimulative at the margin." |
| The new governor also stressed that despite the MPC's expectation that rates will remain on hold for up to three years, he would be ready to push up borrowing costs if necessary. | The new governor also stressed that despite the MPC's expectation that rates will remain on hold for up to three years, he would be ready to push up borrowing costs if necessary. |
| "I'm not afraid to raise interest rates," he said, pointing out that he is the only serving central bank governor among the G7 countries to have increased rates – in his previous post, in Canada. | "I'm not afraid to raise interest rates," he said, pointing out that he is the only serving central bank governor among the G7 countries to have increased rates – in his previous post, in Canada. |
| City investors have pushed up long-term borrowing costs in financial markets sharply since the MPC announced its new pledge to leave borrowing costs unchanged at 0.5%, at least until unemployment falls to 7%. | City investors have pushed up long-term borrowing costs in financial markets sharply since the MPC announced its new pledge to leave borrowing costs unchanged at 0.5%, at least until unemployment falls to 7%. |
| But Carney, who was handpicked by George Osborne to kickstart recovery and took over in Threadneedle Street at the start of July, at times appeared rattled. He said the recent increase in long-term rates, which sent 10-year government bond yields through 3% last week for the first time in more than two years, was "benign". | But Carney, who was handpicked by George Osborne to kickstart recovery and took over in Threadneedle Street at the start of July, at times appeared rattled. He said the recent increase in long-term rates, which sent 10-year government bond yields through 3% last week for the first time in more than two years, was "benign". |
| He also repeatedly refused to be drawn on whether the new approach represented a loosening of policy – equivalent to a reduction in interest rates – in itself. | He also repeatedly refused to be drawn on whether the new approach represented a loosening of policy – equivalent to a reduction in interest rates – in itself. |
| Carney denied that the new framework, involving "knockouts" if inflation appears to be getting out of control, is too complex. But Andrew Tyrie, the committee's Tory chairman, complained that Carney's account of the Bank's new approach would be difficult to explain "down the Dog and Duck". | Carney denied that the new framework, involving "knockouts" if inflation appears to be getting out of control, is too complex. But Andrew Tyrie, the committee's Tory chairman, complained that Carney's account of the Bank's new approach would be difficult to explain "down the Dog and Duck". |
| Asked about the plight of savers, whose savings are being eroded by inflation with interest rates at rock bottom, the governor said he had "great sympathy", but the best thing the Bank could do to help was to generate a sustainable economic recovery. | Asked about the plight of savers, whose savings are being eroded by inflation with interest rates at rock bottom, the governor said he had "great sympathy", but the best thing the Bank could do to help was to generate a sustainable economic recovery. |
| "Our job is to make sure that that's not another false dawn, and ensure that this economy reaches, as soon as possible, a speed of escape velocity, so that it can sustain higher interest rates." | "Our job is to make sure that that's not another false dawn, and ensure that this economy reaches, as soon as possible, a speed of escape velocity, so that it can sustain higher interest rates." |