Experts believe that the Bank of England will have to jack up its base rate from 4.5% at present to 5.5% by the end of 2023 in order to tame stubbornly high inflation. It was that prospect that had already resulted in lenders and building societies to raise the cost of fixed-rate mortgages or to pull deals altogether, as HSBC did during the preceding week. Higher rates also have implications for the cost of servicing the country's debts, in turn eliminating the Chancellor's already limited headroom to push through tax cuts before the elections. - The Financial Mail on Sunday