Bank of England governor says he is ‘able to spot’ lobbying after Farage crypto meeting

Andrew Bailey wrote in a letter: ‘We are, by the nature of the Bank’s role, regularly subject to lobbying.’ Photograph: WPA/Getty Images

The governor of the Bank of England has broken his silence about the pressure Nigel Farage put on him to drop a cryptocurrency policy that could be costly for Reform UK’s billionaire backer, saying he is “able to spot” and resist lobbying.

Andrew Bailey’s comments, in a letter seen by the Guardian, come as Farage’s decision not to disclose a £5m gift from the Thailand-based crypto tycoon Christopher Harborne has triggered the biggest crisis of his political career.