Gerard Lyons is an economist who has spent nearly 30 years working in the City of London and who is now chief economic adviser to the Mayor of London.

I have been reading his latest book, The Consolations of Economies. In it he praises Gordon Brown, saying when it came to two of the big calls of his time as chancellor and prime minister, not joining the Euro and the London G20 Summit, he got it right.

The London summit boosted confidence and then the G20 finance ministers and Central Bank governors meeting in London in March 2009 agreed to pump more liquidity into the system and provide funds and finance and give more money to the International Monetary Funds.

The success of the summit was coordination and agreement on a common agenda to reform international financial institutions.

President Obama described London as historic because of the size and scope of the challenge faced, as well as the timeliness and magnitude of the response.

That it helped to prevent depression and future deterioration is generally agreed and saved the world from financial meltdown.

Now Gordon Brown has saved the UK from break-up.

When, four days before the vote on the Scottish referendum, the polls gave the Yes voters a two-point lead, Gordon jumped into action with speeches and proposals that would give Scotland more control, and the three main parties readily agreed with him.

He changed the vote deficit for the No vote to a 10.6 per cent victory, almost a landslide.

My only moan about his action was he saved David Cameron from certain resignation!

M J Warner Groundwell Road Swindon