The launch of one of the most significant pensions bills in a generation was overshadowed on Wednesday by a demand for the resignation of a key figure involved in its implementation.

The bill creates, from 2012, a giant new national pensions savings scheme to be set up by the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority chaired by Paul Myners, the former fund manager and chairman of Guardian Media Group. On BBC television’s Question Time last week, Mr Myners contrasted the competence of Gordon Brown, the prime minister – to whose leadership campaign he donated more than £12,000 – to the “arrogant, superior, young toffs in the Tory party who have not done a day’s real work”.