David Cameron dashes Gordon Brown's hopes of being IMF chief

David Cameron effectively killed off Gordon Brown's hopes of leading the International Monetary Fund today with a stinging personal attack.

The Prime Minister criticised his predecessor's economic judgment and said he did not want a "washed-up politician" at the helm of the IMF.

Mr Brown has emerged as a favourite for the £270,000-a-year post which is expected to become vacant this year.

Current managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn's term comes to an end next year but he could stand down early to launch a bid for the French presidency.

Asked whether Britain would veto an attempt by Mr Brown to take over, Mr Cameron poured scorn on his suitability for the role.

"I haven't spent a huge amount of time thinking about this but it does seem to me that, if you have someone who didn't think we had a debt problem in the UK when we self-evidently do have a debt problem, then they might not be the most appropriate person to work out whether other countries around the world have debt and deficit problems," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"I certainly don't want a washed-up politician from another country - it's very important that the IMF is led by someone extraordinarily competent and capable and I think Dominique Strauss-Kahn does an excellent job at the moment."

The Prime Minister also suggested the IMF should look outside Europe and America for its next managing director to increase its global standing as he continued his attack.

"If you think about the general principle, you've got the rise of India and China and South Asia, a shift in the world's focus, and it may well be the time for the IMF to start thinking about that shift in focus," he said.

"Above all what matters is: is the person running the IMF someone who understands the dangers of excessive debt, excessive deficit? And it really must be someone who gets that rather than someone who says that they don't see a problem." Mr Brown has also been tipped for lucrative advisory role at the World Economic Forum.