Hammond says will take whatever action needed to support economy

LONDON (Reuters) - British finance minister Philip Hammond reiterated on Wednesday that he and the Bank of England would take whatever action was needed to support the economy as it entered "a period of adjustment" after the June 23 vote to leave the European Union. Hammond made the statement after official figures for the three months to June showed the economy grew a faster-than-expected 0.6 percent. However, most economists polled by Reuters last week expect a recession after the Brexit vote. "Today's GDP figures show that the fundamentals of the British economy are strong ... so it is clear we enter our negotiations to leave the EU from a position of economic strength," he said. "Those negotiations will signal the beginning of a period of adjustment and along with the Bank of England, this government will take whatever action is necessary to support our economy," he added. (Reporting by David Milliken; editing by William Schomberg)