McCreevy 'like paid lobbyist to finance industry'

Ireland’s EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy was accused today of behaving like a “paid lobbyist of the finance industry” in his handling of Europe’s response to the economic crisis.

The damning attack is contained in a letter to his boss, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, complaining that Mr McCreevy has ignored pledges from EU governments and the Commission, as well as demands from MEPs, for new rules covering all financial areas, including unregulated hedge funds and private equity.