23.04.201405:48:00UTC+00BoE Voted 9-0 To Maintain Interest Rate At 0.50%

Policymakers of the Bank of England unanimously decided to maintain the key bank rate at a historic low of 0.50 percent and monetary stimulus at GBP 375 billion, the minutes of meeting held on April 9 showed Wednesday.

"With unemployment remaining above the 7 percent threshold, the Committee's August 2013 policy guidance therefore remained in place and no member thought it appropriate to tighten, or to loosen, the stance of monetary policy at the current juncture," the minutes said.

There was considerable uncertainty about the amount of slack remaining within the economy and Committee members had a range of opinions on this and the outlook for inflation in the medium term.

Although inflation was likely to pick up somewhat in the coming months, all nine members agreed that the probability that it would be above 2.5 percent in 18-24 months time remained less than 50 percent.