Professor John McHale:

We certainly appreciate the political pressures. We also have a particular role to play which I said in one interview is to be a counterweight and, to some extent, a voice for future voters and participants in the economy, as well as being an advocate for their living standards.

I am talking about the future and people who are around today who will also be there and trying to make a living in the economy. We have different roles to play and it is important that we play our role without fear or favour in terms of what the response to that will be.