Hammond says BoE remains independent after PM's policy comments

By David Chance WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chancellor Philip Hammond sought to quash speculation that the government wanted to influence the Bank of England after the country's prime minister highlighted the "bad side effects" of its record low interest rates this week. Hammond said the BoE remained independent and the government had no plans to change its mandate. "The government does not... plan to change the remit of the Band of England," he told reporters in Washington where he was attending mee