THE economy faced real difficulties this year, including the prospect of higher unemployment and 80,000 job losses in manufacturing firms, without a cut in interest rates, the TUC warned.
The union organisation called on the Bank of England to act early in 2006 by reducing rates, otherwise the economy could "hit the rocks". Its report, Cut or Bust, said one of the warning signs was the small increase in the jobless rate at the end of last year.
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