Next Bank of England chief must be independent and 'first class' - PM Johnson

BIARRITZ, France (Reuters) - The next governor of the Bank of England has to be someone who is independent and "first class in every respect", British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday, declining to answer on whether the successful candidate had to be a Brexit supporter.

"The next Bank of England governor will somebody who is absolutely first class in every respect, and who is independent - those are the two most important qualifications," Johnson told reporters on his way to a G7 summit in France.

Current BoE governor Mark Carney is due to stand down at the end of January 2020. His successor will be formally chosen by the finance minister, Sajid Javid.

(Reporting by William James; Editing by Ros Russell)