英国财相希利称银行业是英国经济“皇冠上的明珠”，但拒评预算案是否上调银行税

Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey said banks are a part of the “jewel” in the UK’s economic crown, amid fears from city bosses he is set to hike taxes on the industry at his upcoming budget.

“They’re a big contributor to the economy,” Healey said in a Bloomberg TV interview at the International Monetary Fund’s annual meetings in Bangkok on Thursday, when asked about his conversations with bank executives and their concerns around higher taxes. “They’re an important part of our business.”

Healey was speaking ahead of his first budget on Oct. 28, in which he’s expected to announce short-term giveaways to help struggling households and businesses with cost pressures, while also sticking to a pledge of fiscal discipline. The City and Britain’s wealthy are watching Healey’s budget with caution, concerned that he may hike levies such as capital gains tax and bank taxes to fund his cost-of-living support.

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“They’re a part of the jewel, if you like, in the British economic crown,” Healey said of banks. He declined to comment further on potential tax changes, saying he didn’t want to fuel speculation ahead of the set-piece about what measures he might take.

“The last thing I’m going to do as chancellor is contribute to speculation ahead of the budget in just two weeks’ time,” Healey said. “Speculation in the past has done real damage.”

Healey met bosses from banks including Barclays Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc and Lloyds Banking Group Plc last week. He has been publicly warned against hiking taxes on the industry, including by JPMorgan Chase & Co.s Jamie Dimon, who has cautioned it could drive away jobs.

Earlier this week the IMF singled out the UK for its progress in bringing down borrowing, which is on track to fall every year. The IMF has urged Healey to ensure any budget giveaways are temporary and targeted.

Silvana Tenreyro, the IMF’s chief economist and former Bank of England rate-setter, said the UK stands out among the advanced Group of Seven countries for running “debt stabilizing” budget plans that are on track to bring public finances under control and start shrinking national debt.

Healey was given a boost on Thursday as Britain’s economy unexpectedly grew in August, as businesses continued to hold up in the face of rising energy prices and painfully high borrowing costs. GDP rose 0.1% after jumping 0.4% the previous month, better than the 0.1% contraction expected by economists.

“British economic growth is proving resilient, and my job as chancellor, my responsibility as chancellor, is to protect that resilience in the British economy,” Healey said. “That’s what my budget in two weeks’ time will do.”