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Carney seeks tougher sentences for 'irresponsible' traders | Carney seeks tougher sentences for 'irresponsible' traders |
(35 minutes later) | |
Bank of England governor Mark Carney will call for longer prison sentences for bankers who break the law in an attack on ethics in the City later. | Bank of England governor Mark Carney will call for longer prison sentences for bankers who break the law in an attack on ethics in the City later. |
In his Mansion House speech Mr Carney will say individuals acted with a "culture of impunity". | In his Mansion House speech Mr Carney will say individuals acted with a "culture of impunity". |
But he will warn: "The age of irresponsibility is over." | But he will warn: "The age of irresponsibility is over." |
Meanwhile, Chancellor George Osborne will say he plans to bind future governments to maintaining a budget surplus when the economy is growing. | Meanwhile, Chancellor George Osborne will say he plans to bind future governments to maintaining a budget surplus when the economy is growing. |
Mr Osborne will give the Mansion House audience more details of the proposal he first announced in January. | Mr Osborne will give the Mansion House audience more details of the proposal he first announced in January. |
Mr Carney will say markets responsible for trillions of pounds of global trade were stained by excess, collusion and abuse and "ethical drift" had taken hold. | Mr Carney will say markets responsible for trillions of pounds of global trade were stained by excess, collusion and abuse and "ethical drift" had taken hold. |
"Criminal sanctions should be updated, with market abuse rules similarly extended and maximum prison terms lengthened," he will add. | "Criminal sanctions should be updated, with market abuse rules similarly extended and maximum prison terms lengthened," he will add. |
'Markets can go wrong' | 'Markets can go wrong' |
He will say the Bank of England under his predecessor, Lord King, failed in the run-up to the financial crisis because of its arcane and ambiguous rules and its inability to identify risks in the banking system. It failed to effectively control markets where abuse was rife. | |
"Though markets can be powerful drivers of prosperity, markets can go wrong," according to Mr Carney. | "Though markets can be powerful drivers of prosperity, markets can go wrong," according to Mr Carney. |
"Left unattended, they are prone to instability, excess and abuse. | "Left unattended, they are prone to instability, excess and abuse. |
"Personal accountability was lacking, with a culture of impunity developing. | "Personal accountability was lacking, with a culture of impunity developing. |
"All these factors contributed to an ethical drift. Unethical behaviour went unchecked, proliferated and eventually became the norm." | "All these factors contributed to an ethical drift. Unethical behaviour went unchecked, proliferated and eventually became the norm." |
Rogue trader crackdown | |
Mr Osborne, who is also speaking at the Mansion House, will say: "The public rightly asks: 'Why is it after so many scandals so few individuals have faced punishment in the courts?' | |
"Individuals who fraudulently manipulate markets and commit financial crime should be treated like the criminals they are - and they will be." | "Individuals who fraudulently manipulate markets and commit financial crime should be treated like the criminals they are - and they will be." |
The chancellor and the governor will speak as the Fair and Effective Markets Review is published - a report by the Bank, the Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority on strengthening controls in financial markets. | The chancellor and the governor will speak as the Fair and Effective Markets Review is published - a report by the Bank, the Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority on strengthening controls in financial markets. |
The report recommends a crackdown on rogue traders and a new Market Standards Board that would bring the "age of irresponsibility" to an end. | The report recommends a crackdown on rogue traders and a new Market Standards Board that would bring the "age of irresponsibility" to an end. |
The review says that criminal sanctions for market abuse should be extended to traders in markets such as foreign exchange, one of the markets hit hardest by manipulation by banks. | The review says that criminal sanctions for market abuse should be extended to traders in markets such as foreign exchange, one of the markets hit hardest by manipulation by banks. |
'Updated sanctions' | 'Updated sanctions' |
It also says that maximum sentences for wrongdoing should be lengthened from seven years to 10. | It also says that maximum sentences for wrongdoing should be lengthened from seven years to 10. |
The report argues that the Senior Managers' Regime of controls already agreed for banks should be extended to more people in financial services, including traders and brokers. | |
If agreed, that would mean that tens of thousands of people in financial services would be covered by the regulations which can punish wrongdoing with fines. | If agreed, that would mean that tens of thousands of people in financial services would be covered by the regulations which can punish wrongdoing with fines. |
The Bank said it would immediately agree to be covered by the regime, including the Governor himself. | |
'Arcane governance' | 'Arcane governance' |
Mr Carney has reserved some of his harshest criticisms for the Bank of England itself and how it operated ahead of the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008. | |
"In the run up to the crisis, the Bank's contribution to the effectiveness of markets fell short," the Governor will say. | "In the run up to the crisis, the Bank's contribution to the effectiveness of markets fell short," the Governor will say. |
"Once under pressure, the Bank could not support the banking system. | "Once under pressure, the Bank could not support the banking system. |
"The Bank neither identified the scale of risks in the system nor spotted gaps in the regulatory architecture. | "The Bank neither identified the scale of risks in the system nor spotted gaps in the regulatory architecture. |
"[And] the Bank's arcane governance blurred the Bank's accountability and, by extension, weakened the social licence of markets." | "[And] the Bank's arcane governance blurred the Bank's accountability and, by extension, weakened the social licence of markets." |
The Bank of England's governance had now been reformed and more would be done to strengthen the way it operated, according to Mr Carney. |