'Feeble' Brown attacked over Northern Rock secrecy

Northern Rock's nationalisation provoked a stormy exchange in the Commons between Gordon Brown and David Cameron this lunchtime.

The Conservative leader compared Mr Brown to Cuban leader Fidel Castro over the government's alleged attitude to freedom of information and the high street lender.

Mr Brown insisted the government had made the right decision in waiting to see whether a private consortium would buy the troubled high street lender before opting for nationalisation.

But Mr Cameron attacked him for a clause in the banking (special provisions) bill pushing through the move which exempts Northern Rock from scrutiny under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act.

"The government was happy to show Richard Branson all the facts but it won't tell the British public," he said to cheers.

"When it comes to this government and freedom of information, they would make Fidel Castro proud. Why are you covering it up?"

The prime minister said it would be "ridiculous" for the government to publish its business plans for Northern Rock, saying such a move would be "unfair".

Mr Cameron rejected this argument, pointing out the rule did not apply to other publicly owned companies like the Post Office and National Savings.

The prime minister said he refused to reduce the issue of Northern Rock to the "student politics" of the Tories.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg adopted another line of attack, after his party revealed the government does not intend to nationalise the lender's Granite fund in last night's debate on the emergency legislation.

Granite holds many of the bank's mortgages, leading leader Nick Clegg to suggest Mr Brown was planning on "hiving off the bank's best assets elsewhere".

Mr Brown insisted the sale would not affect Northern Rock's eventual sale to a private buyer as he continued his defence of the government's policies.

"We were right to look at all possible options. We were right to invite private buyers to come in with their offers. We were right to look in detail at every possible bid. We are the party of stability," he insisted.