Spanish bank Santander had its UK business downgraded by one notch, to A1 from Aa3, while Nationwide Building Society suffered a two-notch cut, to A2 from Aa3.

BBC: UK financial firms downgraded by Moody's rating agency

Other candidates for the post included Bank deputy governor Paul Tucker, FSA chairman Lord Turner, Sir John Vickers, who led the government's recent review into breaking up the banks, and Santander bank's UK chairman Lord Burns.

BBC: Mark Carney named new Bank of England governor

What has been brought to my attention is an interesting new way to hive off the 315 RBS branches, which the bank was on course to sell to Santander, before the UK arm of that Spanish giant dropped the deal.

BBC: Investors want to buy RBS's Williams & Glyn's