The Brexit referendum of a decade ago demanded cool heads.
The grown-up in the room was Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England at the time.
At an impromptu press conference, Carney, now prime minister of Canada, reaffirmed that the Bank was ready to do whatever was necessary to uphold financial stability.
His successor at the bank, Andrew Bailey, faces a similar, if less epoch-making, decision next week.
By coincidence, the outcome of the Bank’s interest rate-setting meeting will be revealed as voters go to the polls in Makerfield. If Andy Burnham wins, it will trigger a contest for the next prime minister and could see Chancellor Rachel Reeves bundled out of the Treasury.
