Banks might have to reduce mortgage lending to stay within regulatory limits, a senior Bank of England official has warned as official figures released this morning showed loans at their highest level since the global financial crisis.

Sir Jon Cunliffe the Bank of England’s deputy governor, said steep rises in prices meant mortgage lenders were pushing against regulations introduced in the wake of the 2008-09 crash to ensure that 85% of mortgages advanced are less than 4.5 times the borrower’s annual income.

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