London financiers attack appointment

London: London financiers attacked the appointment of an ally of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to draft European Union rules for their industry, saying he risks undermining the capital’s place as Europe’s financial centre.

The French appointee Michel Barnier, 58, is “definitely not known as an Anglophile”, said Jon Moulton, 59, the venture capitalist who tried to buy carmaker MG Rover in 2000. “He will be adverse to the interests of the British financial industry,” Moulton said.