As a worker in the City of London for 20 years — first in a lowly role at the Bank of England, then in a mid-ranking position at the now defunct Association for Payment Services — Theresa May would not have imagined her current quandary.
Now prime minister, Mrs May faces the daunting prospect of negotiating Britain’s divorce from the EU while at the same time protecting the country’s key interests.
Close to the top of that list is the City’s role as a financial services hub and an anchor for the UK’s biggest industry, worth as much as 10 per cent of gross domestic product. Depending on how successful Mrs May is, the City could face three different futures.