Breaking News-RTRS-BoE seen slashing rates to 2 pct as economy dives

LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The Bank of England could slash interest rates to their lowest in more than half a century later on Thursday amid mounting evidence the rapidly sinking economy may be heading for a full-blown depression.
A Reuters poll this week reflected that view, with 40 out of 62 economists expecting a full one percentage point cut to 2 percent.
Former BoE policymaker Willem Buiter called this week for the central bank to bring rates down to zero and start pumping cash into the economy to bring it back to life, like Japan did in the 1990s when its economy dived and deflation took hold.
"If zero is the floor, there is no reason not to go there immediately," Buiter wrote in his Financial Times blog.