Cameron Blocks Brown IMF Bid

In a direct attack on the former Prime Minister, Mr Cameron said his predecessor was not the "most appropriate person" to lead the IMF because he would not admit the UK had a "debt problem".

In his first clear admission of some responsibility for the financial crisis, the former prime minister claimed he had not understood how “entangled” the world’s financial institutions had become.

Mr Brown is reportedly hoping to take on the £270,000-a-year role but he must first be nominated by the Government.

“If you have someone who didn’t think we had a debt problem (running the IMF) they may not be the best person to decide whether other countries have that problem," he said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He added that the role needed to be filled by “someone who understands the dangers of excessive spending.”

And in a clear signal that Britain would block Mr Brown if stood for the job, Mr Cameron suggested the position should be filled by a candidate from “China, India or south east Asia.”

The PM said it was important that the IMF was headed by "someone extraordinarily competent and capable" and praised current chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn for doing an "excellent job".

Strauss Kahn is set to step down soon as managing director amid much media speculation that Mr Brown, who resigned as UK prime minister last year, could replace him.

Earlier this month Mr Brown admitted he was wrong to leave banking regualtion in the hands of the Financial Services Authority.