Inflation soars

John Redwood
" December’s inflation figure was as bad as I feared – and that’s before the force of higher VAT kicks in in January.
The Consumer Price Index, the government’s preferred measure, rose by 2.9%, just a whisker below the level where the Bank of England has to write a letter of apology and explanation to the Chancellor. The Retail Price Index (including mortgages) rose to 2.4%, whilst the RPI excluding housing hit an alarming 3.8%.
The Monetary Policy Committee has a lot of explaining to do. Why were they still worrying about falling prices during 2009 when they were helping unleash this fast rise in prices? Why couldn’t they see the impact of the devaluation of sterling on prices, and the impact of easy money on asset and commodity prices?
As I feared, they have lurched too far again for the third time. Between 2005 and 2007 they kept rates too low, encouraged easy credit and set up the loan bubble. Between 2007 and the end of 2008 they set rates which were too high, presided over a massive contraction of credit and helped bring the economy from boom to bust. Now in 2009-10 they have again set rates that are too low and backed them up with massive quantitative easing. No wonder inflation has gone up."