Bank's MPC members unanimous on interest rate hike - 2004-02-18
All nine members of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted to hike interest rates earlier this month, according to minutes of the two-day meeting published today.

February’s quarter-point hike to four per cent was the second rise in three months and sparked increases in most mortgage rates.
Read the full story at Edinburgh Evening News

Prepaying mortgage hikes taxes? - 2004-02-18
Dear Dr. Don,
Everyone advices me to not pay off my mortgage because I can deduct the interest on my taxes. Is this a valid idea? Surely, I wouldn't pay the same amount in taxes as I do to the mortgage company.
Kevin Conundrum

Dear Kevin,
By using the mortgage interest deduction on your taxes, you reduce the effective interest rate on your mortgage. If you have a 6 percent mortgage and your marginal federal income tax rate is 33 percent, then the effective rate of interest on your mortgage is 4 percent.
Read the full story at Bankrate.com