David Cameron will launch one of his most personal attacks to date on Gordon Brown today, describing the prime minister as a "shameless defender of the old elite". The Conservative leader will criticise Brown's "secretive, power-hoarding, controlling" character and will dismiss his pledge to hold a referendum on electoral reform as a "cynical attempt to save his own skin".
Seeking to reflect public anger over MPs' expenses, Cameron will say "there is no chance Gordon Brown will do what is right and put the public interest before his own political interests. He cannot reform the institution because he is the institution: he made it. The character of his Government -- secretive, power-hoarding, controlling -- is his character".
He will add: "For the health of our democracy it is now essential that this shameless defender of the old elite goes as soon as possible".
Cameron is also expected to accuse Brown of tolerating the "disgusting sight" of Labour MPs attempting to invoke parliamentary privilege to avoid prosecution over their expenses.
He will say: "At the very least, Gordon Brown should withdraw the whip from these shameless Labour MPs. And more importantly, he should make sure this cannot ever happen again."
A Downing Street spokesman accused Cameron of "desperation" and said the government would change the law if needed. He added that it was for the courts to clarify the extent of parliamentary privilege.
