Bankers who promise massive returns aren’t going to impress anyone right now.

But Mr Pateman does raise a difficult issue. There is a contradiction in the general mood towards the banks at the moment.

We want them to behave responsibly and accept reasonable profits instead of taking major risks.

We also, however, want them to lend to businesses. And the fact that they are now reluctant to take risks is one of the reasons they are also failing to lend as much capital as industry currently needs.

This is a circle that only Government can square – not that there are any easy answers – and we’ve seen it happen to an extent, as Ministers look for ways to get capital out to industry.

From the regional growth fund to the green investment bank, Ministers are trying to get money into the hands of employers.

Critics would also call for more public spending to boost the economy, although the gap between the modest spending cuts imposed by this Government and the slightly more modest cuts proposed by Labour is smaller than any of the parties like to admit.

But one thing that is essential for economic growth is solid high street banks which rarely hit the headlines – and which we all feel able to trust with our money.