News

Bank of England Economist Warns of UK’s Deepening Financial Woes, Crypto a Savior?

Adekunle Joshua

Key Insights:

  • People "need to accept" that they are getting poorer, according to the Bank of England's chief economist
  • The economist says that people in England need to recognize that they are in a worse situation, and should stop attempting to retain their actual purchasing power by raising prices.
  • Bank of England's governor, Andrew Bailey also made a similar statement in August of last year.

In a spectacular turn of events, the Chief economist of the Bank of England has come under fire for saying on a US podcast, that people "need to accept" that they are getting poorer.

According to Huw Pill during the podcast, England is worse off in terms of inflation because of businesses raising prices and workers asking for more wages.

These factors, he said, are both "self-defeating" strategies since they both contribute significantly to inflation.

Mr Pill claimed that England citizens were engaging in a "pass the parcel game" by asking for greater wages to retain their purchasing power and have thus far been "reluctant" to recognize that the economy as a whole is being negatively impacted.

Why Huw Pill Is Under Criticism

In a recent appearance on the Beyond Unprecedented podcast from Columbia Law School, Huw Pill argues that individuals "of all stripes" ought to give up their pursuit of more salary to retain their current standard of living.

The analyst said, "You're going to be worse off if the cost of what you're buying has gone up in comparison to what you're selling."

He continued by saying that people in England needed to recognize that they are in a worse situation, and should stop attempting to retain their actual purchasing power by raising prices, whether [via] workers demanding higher salaries or businesses passing the cost of energy on to consumers.

The economist continued by saying that the UK is currently struggling with a refusal to acknowledge that everyone is worse off, and must contribute.

Instead, he claims, people try to shift the expense on one of their fellow countrymen, claiming "we'll be all right, but they will have to take our share too"

He claimed that this place was playing a game of "pass the parcel" that was causing inflation, which may continue for longer if something isn't done.

Inflation In The UK

Inflation in the UK was 10.1% from January to March.

The rate decreased last month from 10.4%, but this does not indicate that prices are going down. It indicates that they are ascending a little more slowly.

For a while, the UK's inflation rate exceeded the Bank of England's 2% target. However, the Bank's responsibility includes maintaining inflation at the desired level. It has raised interest rates in reaction to rising prices, which raises the cost of borrowing money.

The idea behind this action is to encourage individuals to cut back on their spending, which will lower demand for goods and moderate price increases.

Pill, in the podcast,  mentioned that many employees have been requesting wage increases to help relieve the burden on budgets as homes are being impacted by rising energy and food expenses.

Even while the number of open positions has decreased, it is still larger than it has been in decades, giving individuals more reasons to request salary increases.

This is the problem, according to Pill. Despite salary increases, it has not kept up with inflation, leaving individuals in a worse financial situation as the economist pointed out.

In its yearly projection, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that with a 0.3% decline, the UK's economy will likely be the worst-performing major economy in 2023.

Uk's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Wants To Work With Crypto Companies

In recent news, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the financial watchdog for the United Kingdom, wants to collaborate with cryptocurrency businesses to create an industry-specific regulatory framework.

At the City Week conference in London on April 25, FCA Executive Director Sarah Pritchard stressed the importance of collaboration when it comes to crypto laws.

To ensure that the future regulatory framework for crypto assets is appropriate, she stated, "We want industry input."

Crypto and blockchain technology was described by her as a "one-time symbol of alternative rebellion," however she did admit that it had "become more widespread."

Effective early involvement promotes rules that are advantageous to all parties and aids businesses in being ready when regulations are implemented, she continued.

The action contrasts sharply with the American strategy used on the other side of the Atlantic.

Americans working in the crypto industry contend that regional financial authorities are doing everything possible to stifle the crypto sector through enforcement measures rather than creating significant legislation in consultation with industry leaders.

Pritchard stated that the FCA's duties are restricted to ensuring that cryptocurrency companies doing business in the UK adhere to anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) laws.

She said,

"We won't have additional authority to regulate crypto unless the government passes legislation.

Pritchard said that the FCA has licensed 41 companies of different sizes and has promoted crypto startups. However, out of the 195 registrations from foreign companies, almost three-quarters had their bids for a U.K. license refused or withdrawn.

Disclaimer: Voice of Crypto aims to deliver accurate and up-to-date information, but it will not be responsible for any missing facts or inaccurate information. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile financial assets, so research and make your own financial decisions.