UK to set out looser bank ring-fencing rules next week, Sky News says
16/05/2026 08:41
LONDON, May 16 (Reuters) - Britain's government will set out more detailed proposals next week to relax bank regulations that had been designed to stop a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis, Sky News reported on Saturday. Last week Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government set out its legislative agenda for the new parliamentary session which included proposals to loosen the "ring-fencing" designed to stop problems in banks' investment-banking arms spilling over into their high-street banking activities. More detailed proposals could be announced as soon as Monday, Sky News said, citing a government source. Finance minister Rachel Reeves had signed off on proposals that "mean that Britain's biggest banks can lend at reduced funding costs to organisations aligned with added government’s economic policy objectives", the broadcaster said. Banks would also be allowed to share more services between ring-fenced and non-ring-fenced parts, reducing their costs, it said. (Reporting by David Milliken, Editing by Louise Heavens) ((david.milliken@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7513 4034;))