Mr O'Riordain refused to comment on Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond's attacks on short-selling "spivs and speculators".

BBC: HBOS takeover 'good for Scotland'

Those of us who have supported financial capitalism are open to the charge that the system we championed has merely enabled a few spivs to get rich.

ECONOMIST: The financial crisis

They were just Cockney barrow boy spivs.

FORBES: Occupy London Stock Exchange