Staff at the Bank of England began a three-day strike Tuesday, the first at Britain's central bank in more than 50 years, as part of a dispute over pay. Employees from the maintenance, security and frontline hospitality departments walked out over what the Unite union said was a "derisory", below-inflation pay offer for the second year running.

Union official Peter Kavanagh urged the governor of the bank to personally intervene in the dispute, threatening to escalate the industrial action if there was no breakthrough.

"Mark Carney should come to the picket lines outside this iconic British bank today and explain why hardworking men and women deserve to face years of pay cuts," Kavanagh said.