Bank of England warns Brexit could do serious harm to UK economy

Interest rates kept at 0.5% as latest MPC minutes reveal significant concerns about effect on the economy of leaving the EU

A vote to leave the EU could harm economic growth and have a serious impact on the pound and other UK assets, the Bank of England has said, as it took steps to prepare for June's referendum.

Minutes to the Bank's latest policy meeting showed its nine-strong monetary policy committee voted unanimously to leave interest rates at their historic low of 0.5%. The committee said uncertainty ahead of what was expected to be a close EU vote appeared to be weighing on investment decisions, and policymakers said economic growth could slow as a result in the second quarter of the year.