A eurosceptic former minister has launched an attack on the European Central Bank.

John Redwood told students in Birmingham on Monday that the current state of the German economy was being made worse because its interest rates were now being set by the ECB.

The former Welsh secretary and Conservative leadership contender accused the bank of abandoning Germany by keeping rates high for the benefit of other members of "Euroland".

He also urged chancellor Gordon Brown to stay out of the euro.

"We should be grateful we have a referendum lock on the door of the pound. The British government should press vigorously for proper economic reform in the EU, to free markets, before EU policy pushes the German banks - and much of the European economy with them - into slow growth or recession," he said.