LONDON (AFX) - Bank of England Governor Sir Edward George has dropped a strong hint that UK interest rates will not be pushed upwards in the near future, conflicting with the expectations of leading economists, the Daily Telegraph reported. Speaking in Washington as world finance leaders met to discuss the crisis in Argentina and anxiety about oil prices, George dismissed suggestions that rampant spending by British shoppers should be curtailed. "Yes, we have seen and have positively encouraged consumer spending. There has not been a sense on the MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) that it has reached the point where we should be immediately concerned," he said. Investors have been betting that the Bank will soon begin raising rates from a 38-year low of 4 pct.