Poland has no intention of trying to spend its way out of the looming economic slowdown, Donald Tusk, the prime minister has said. The comments align his country with Germany rather than the US and the UK as international divisions grow over how to handle the recession.

“When I talk to European politicians who boldly tell me how much money they are going to pump into the economy, I pose the question, ‘Where do you have the money for that?’,” Mr Tusk told the Financial Times.