And finally…not me, guv

Bank of England governor Mark Carney has become the victim of an email prankster pretending to be his boss.

Mr Carney was duped into exchanging emails that discussed former Bank governor Eddie George’s drinking habits.

The prankster used a fake email address, anthonyhabgood@hotmail.com to pretend to be Anthony Habgood, chairman of the court of the Bank, in order to engage in the correspondence which was later published on Twitter.

Mr Carney responded three times to a message referencing reports of Jane Austen on the new £10 note “looking like someone who’s had a ‘bracing martini’”.

Mr Carney responded, saying he would have one martini “and order another two”, adding “apparently that was Eddie George’s daily intake … before lunch”.

He also said he would consider a Summer Nights themed party invitation.

However, the conversation was brought to an abrupt halt after the hoaxer said there would be “dashing bar ladies” and told Mr Carney he kept the “crystal glasses” low down so their “enchanting dexterity” could be admired.

Mr Carney replied: “Sorry Anthony. Not appropriate at all.”

It is thought that the hoaxer, who goes by the Twitter handle @SINON_REBORN, is the same person to catch out Barclays chief executive Jes Staley earlier this month, by sending him bogus emails seemingly from the bank’s chairman John McFarlane.

In that email exchange, Staley is told “you owe me a large Scotch” after the bank’s difficult annual general meeting, in which the chairman repeatedly defended the chief executive over the latter’s attempts to unmask a whistleblower at the bank.