A Commons showdown over the Government’s £20 billion gamble to drag the UK out of recession was set up today when the Tories secured an emergency debate.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne won the agreement of Speaker Michael Martin that the contents of the Pre-Budget Report warranted an urgent three-hour session tomorrow.

The decision amounts to something of an own goal for the Government.

Its Commons business managers should have anticipated that Mr Martin would have granted a debate if requested because the current Parliament ends on Thursday.

In those circumstances it would have been better to offer a debate rather than to allow the Conservatives to claim that they had dragged ministers to the House.

Even so Treasury sources insisted that Alistair Darling had always been happy to speak in a debate and will now do so.

Opposition politicians had expressed outrage that, despite its significant nature, the Chancellor's measures were not scheduled for full debate. Commons leader Harriet Harman had promised to find a slot before Christmas for the House - which is poised to break for several days ahead of next week’s Queen’s Speech - to discuss the measures.

But Mr Osborne said it was an “absolute disgrace” that none had already been arranged.

“They are running away from the arguments because they are losing the argument,” he told MPs.

He said the PBR was so significant that it amounted to a full Budget, which is normally debated over five days and voted on.

“It’s an absolute disgrace that the Government have not conceded a debate on this. This wasn’t just a Report but a crisis Budget and a reckless gamble with the public finances.

“It introduces a £20 billion fiscal loosening and a £40 billion package of future tax increases.“

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