As the bearer of increasingly bad news about the state of the economy, Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England, has inevitably been making enemies, including the Daily Mail, who asked the other day what on earth was the point of him.
Bailey has, however, been doing what he can to make friends and influence people. Transparency disclosures from the bank show he has been breakfasting, lunching and dining contacts at 21 engagements between September and November last year in London, Washington, Switzerland, Glasgow and Cambridge.
The recipients of the Bailey charm are not, however, named, and it would appear they picked up the tabs. Still, he managed to get through £140,000 on other expenses.
