Cowen: why I overruled Lenihan on guarantee

? ‘My budgets were conservative and prudent’ ? ‘I was not beholden to the property market’ PLUS: DPP warns inquiry over Anglo witnesses

The former taoiseach Brian Cowen will tell the banking inquiry that he overruled his finance minister over the bank guarantee because he believed that Brian Lenihan’s preferred option of nationalising Anglo posed more of a danger to the economy.

Cowen’s written submission to the inquiry, lodged in recent days, offers a robust defence of his economic policies and annual budgets as finance minister. He also rejects allegations that he fuelled the property boom.