Britain added its voice to calls from developing countries against the French-led drive to position Dominique Strauss-Kahn as the sole candidate to succeed Rodrigo Rato as managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

Alistair Darling, the UK chancellor of the exchequer, will on Tuesday urge European colleagues to apply the brakes to the selection of a new IMF chief and not to be bounced into making a quick decision.