Over at the IMF’s annual meeting in Bangkok today, chancellor John Healey is meeting with UK journalists now, including my colleague Heather Stewart. Healey, who should be cheered by the news that the UK economy grew unexpectedly in August, was asked whether he plans to impose new taxes on the bank sector, and replies: “I don’t want anybody to try and read in or second guess what [we may] do in two weeks’ time. My observations on the banks are just that people too often see them as a big distant financial institutions, when they are hardwired into the economic fabric of this country and our future prospects.
That said, you know I’ve got decisions to take in the in the budget, and I will. I’ll set those out in two weeks’ time. Healey added that his “special responsibility as Chancellor is to protect the resilience of the British economy for the future” – echoing what he told Sky News a few minutes ago.
The chancellor also welcomed the IMF’s support for the UK’s fiscal plans.
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