Brown leaves windfall tax supporters frustrated

Campaigners for a windfall tax on energy companies have begun criticising the prime minister after he ruled out such a move yesterday.

Gordon Brown told Scotland's Confederation of British Industry (CBI) he does not intend to introduce "short-term gimmicks or giveaways" to address the problems faced by Britain's "hard-pressed, hard-working families".

He rejected a "fuel stabiliser" as an inadequate solution to the supply and demand of oil, appearing to rule out calls for a windfall tax on energy firms to pay for energy efficiency schemes.

Unite the Union, left-wing pressure group Compass and backbench Labour MPs like Fabian Hamilton have been critical of the move.