Brown attacks EC for 'failing' Britain

A furious Gordon Brown today attacked European Commission finance chiefs for "failing" Britain.

In an extraordinary confrontation, the Chancellor flew to Brussels for a face-toface showdown with the Brussels-based bureaucracy.

His anger came as the Commission demanded new powers to intervene in the way Britain and other EU states manage their economies.

Mr Brown was also angered by the Commission publishing a report that criticised him for running high borrowing levels. A separate report from the International Monetary Fund was also expected to say the Treasury should either cut borrowing or raise taxes.

He took the unusual step of going to Brussels a week before his pre-election Budget to complain at new plans by the Commission to strengthen its stability pact which sets tight borrowing rules for member states.

He was set to say: "It is not Britain which is failing the stability pact. It is the stability pact which is failing Britain and the rest of Europe."

In effect, the Commission and the IMF are asking him to change Labour's entire spending plans just weeks before an election.

But he will use today's meeting of EU finance ministers to make clear he has no intention of meekly obeying.