Retail bosses have express disappointment at the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee’s decision to leave interest rates unchanged at 4.75 per cent.

Kevin Hawkins, director general of the British Retail Consortium, said: “We are obviously disappointed that the MPC has not reduced interest rates today, especially in the face of so much evidence from across the economy that a reduction is now urgently needed.

“The MPC’s failure to act simply means that we will lose at least another month to no purpose.”

Business leaders and pressure groups have complained that the current rate of 4.75 per cent is deterring consumers from spending and companies from investing.

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