Financial analysts in the City were left scratching their heads this afternoon, as the Bank of England defied predictions and dropped the Prime by a quarter. This in reaction to somewhat optimistic previous estimates of next years growth..a spiral in house prices..a sluggish bear market..and the imminence of war..
At 3.75%.. the Prime's not been this low since 1955.. keep an eye on gold..
On the war front.. we have Tony spending the day with Hans Blix.. the chief UN weapons inspector.. with both emerging with smiles, both saying Iraq's hiding something..even if we're not sure what it is..both saying a second UN Resolution should do the trick..
So.. roll on the UN..
But whether the US is willing to allow time to creep on towards Springtime for Hussein while the UN dithers aboiut with international niceties is moot. One incident of agression.. terrorism.. would be enough to spark off the whole shooting match..
It gets dry and dusty in the spring.. then winds pick up.. then it's hot..
American troops will not find it comfortable to wear all the bio-chemical protection gear if it's hot..
If this is all delayed until more clement weather appears.. the timing will all have been thrown off.. World opinion, when left to stew.. tends to reach a definative if not wise decision on an issue.. then it's left to die..
And Tony.. bless the man.. was not even phased when asked this afternoon how it felt to me the MP for Texas, North.