Gordon Brown fails to stimulate Europe's interest

Downing Street is a bit tetchy about stories suggesting that European leaders here in Brussels are not buying Mr Brown's arguments on fiscal stimulus.  It's a red herring, say Gordon Brown's team, a non-issue flammed up by cynical hacks. 

Indeed, one British official yesterday insisted that fiscal policy simply wasn't on the agenda here in Brussels.  "We don't see this as an issue for this summit," said the official, coyly insisting on anonymity.  Instead, he said that the UK was focussing on financial regulation, trade policy, and the reform of the IMF.  And definitely not fiscal stimulus, oh no.

Which is strange, because I've just seen a copy of a paper Mr Brown circulated among his fellow EU leaders last night, which makes clear that the UK is indeed urging its partners to launch more stimulus measures.

It says:

"In Europe and internationally, there is growing acknowledgment of the need for comprehensive action to lay the foundations for recovery and growth.  This must include a co-ordinated, timely, temporary and targeted stimulus to the global economy, with fiscal and monetary policy working together to build demand."   [My bold]

And at a press conference last night,  Jose Manuel Barroso, the commission president, and Mirek Topolanek, the Czech Prime Minister whose country holds the EU presidency, both said that Mr Brown had told the summit that more fiscal stimulus was one of three "prongs" required to recscue the world economy.

All of which leaves me a bit confused.   Did that helpful British official just forget to mention Mr Brown's appeals for stimulus?  Or did he deliberately omit it to try to lead journalists away from the fact that said appeal is falling on deaf ears?  If only I could remember his name.