HBOS increases mortgage rates despite Brown plea

The move by the country’s biggest mortgage lender comes barely a fortnight after it announced it would raise borrowing costs for customers with a deposit under 25%, and only hours since a meeting between top bankers and the Government. Halifax kept its three and five-year fixed rates stable. Industry commentators said the move was yet another example of providers being unable to cope with demand and hinted at a lack of trust between banks and Downing Street. The Bank of England yesterday announced it would provide a further £15bn into the financial markets to ease liquidity concerns. Th...