Whether you wanted to stay in the EU or leave there is no denying that today is a momentous day.
And with blanket coverage of the referendum outcome I have certainly been spoilt for choice on media interviews to analyse.
Should I take a look at how some of the leaders of the Leave campaign addressed the media, or maybe I could review David Cameron’s tearful resignation speech? Perhaps we should look at the interview Jeremy Corbyn gave in response to that announcement.
Instead I settled on someone whose shoes I doubt few spokespeople would have wanted to fill this morning.
As the country tried to digest news of a Brexit vote over the breakfast table, the Bank of England Governor took to the airwaves to try to ease concerns about economic consequences of the decision.
Any media appearance can feel daunting, even for the most accomplished of spokespeople. But Mr Carney found himself in a particularly disconcerting situation.
A man who had issued several stark warnings about the consequences of leaving the EU in the build-up to the referendum, now had to appeal for calm amid shares and the pound plunging.
On our media training courses you will often hear our expert tutors say ‘it’s all about the audience’. Mr Carney clearly had to address a very divided audience. Going by voting figures almost half of those watching and listening now fear the country is heading for economic meltdown and the biggest crisis of their lifetime, while the rest were celebrating a victory.
So how do you bridge that giant chasm?
Well, with a carefully crafted prepared statement, which had clearly been worked on for some considerable time in the event of an ‘out’ vote.
He started by acknowledging what we all know, regardless of which way we voted, that there will be a period of ‘uncertainty and adjustment’.
He said: “And it will take some time for the United Kingdom to establish new relationships with Europe and the rest of the world.
“Some market and economic volatility can be expected as this process unfolds.”
And then came the clear message of reassurance:
“But we are well prepared for this. The Treasury and the Bank of England have engaged in extensive contingency planning and the chancellor and I have been in close contact, including through the night and this morning.
“The Bank will not hesitate to take additional measures as required as those markets adjust and the UK economy moves forward.”
We were also told that the UK has a ‘resilient financial system’ which had been ‘consistently strengthened over the past seven years’.
It was also a speech which acknowledged the previous warning from the Bank of England about Brexit and showed how these had been used in its planning.
And it ended with some further reassurance:
“We have taken all the necessary steps to prepare for today's events.”
Mr Carney delivered his statement calmly with pauses for emphasis and although he would have been put under much more pressure if he had taken questions from journalists, it was an impressive performance.
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