But he said No 10 had refused to say whether Mr Cameron used the phrase "make up or break up" during the 45-minute conversation.

BBC: David Cameron defends 'make up or break up' euro warning

As Sir Mervyn was at pains to emphasise, this is not a simple matter of "in or out" - or even, in David Cameron's rather undiplomatic phrase, "make-up or break-up".

BBC: Sir Mervyn, the UK and the euro

There is always a war of words in the lead up to these "make-or-break" summits.

BBC: War of words for euro summit