This differs from the natural rate when macroeconomic shocks affect the rate of inflation corresponding to any degree of excess demand in the labour market. Since the NAIRU represents the current reduced-form relationship between inflation and unemployment, it is possible to calculate the prospects for inflation without any need to refer to such a variable as the NAIRU. It is a convenient shorthand concept for purposes of exposition, but not a necessary tool for operational decisions on interest rates. Second, the contribution of monetary policy to employment objectives is to promote economic stability in its broadest sense. I referred at the outset to Keynes’ view that the “triple evils” of an unequal distribution of income, instability of expectations and unemployment were all related to an unstable and unpredictable monetary standard. The solution, Keynes suggested, was to set monetary policy to hit a target for prices, or a low and stable inflation rate. He argued 75 years ago that monetary policy should be devoted to regulating the supply of money so that “the index number of prices will never move far from a fixed point”. Keynes went on to say that: “The Bank of England since the war has always done exactly the opposite of what the latest science recommends. I conclude from this that their opposition comes, not from mere obstinacy BIS Review 103/1998  – 10 –  or conservatism, but from their not yet understanding the point.
Page 1  The cost of living - speech by Andrew Bailey Given at Brunswick Group’s Cost of Living Conference, Coin Street, London  Page 2  Published on 01 March 2023  Andrew Bailey shares what we learnt from talking to people at our outreach events across the UK during the past year. Speech The latest release of data for the UK consumer price index showed an annual increase of 10.1% in January. It is down from a peak of 11.1% in October, not least because direct effects from energy prices have eased. But also, core inflation, which excludes the most volatile components of the consumer price index, fell more than expected to 5.8% in January. The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee spends a lot of time poring over these data. Consumer price inflation remains much too high, and it is our job to bring it back down to our 2% target. That is why we have increased Bank Rate by nearly 4 percentage points over the past 15 months. To set the appropriate level of Bank Rate over the months ahead, we have to monitor our progress towards our target very carefully. But the data can only tell us so much. At times like these, more than ever, it is important to hear the human stories behind the data. These stories help us understand both what is actually going on and the impact it has on people’s lives.