We’re in the last throes of the battle over financial regulatory reform, and Barney Frank, the chief congressional negotiator on the legislation and chairman of the House financial services committee, today suggested a possible compromise on the Federal Reserve – one that would strip the three banker board members of the right to select regional bank presidents, but would safeguard the position of NY Fed president from political appointment.

It still needs to be voted on by the conference of lawmakers charged with reconciling the Senate and House versions of the bill, so nothing is etched in stone. But his proposal merits attention because it could be an elegant way to resolve the remaining differences.

Gone would be the controversial proposal to make the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York a political appointee – which was seen by some critics of the measure as a misguided attempt to politicise the US central bank. Read more