Cameron slates government over economic competence

Chancellor Alistair Darling today came under renewed pressure from the Conservatives over his stewardship of the economy after it emerged that he blocked a move that could have rescued troubled bank Northern Rock. A Tory spokesman said this morning: "This comes on top of the capital gains tax fiasco, the US mortgage crisis and his U-turn on guarantees for bank depositors. It's pretty clear that we are now heading for the worst financial crisis since 1992 and that the Conservative party, under the leadership of David Cameron, is increasingly seen as a much safer pair of hands."