Chief known as Senor Scissorhands

AS MEXICO’S finance minister in the late 1990s, Angel Gurria’s cuts to public spending earned him the nickname ‘Senor Scissorhands’.

The married father-of-three was credited with stabilising the economy after financial crises and banking scandals.

This earned him a global recognition and, in 2006, the 6 -year- old was appointed secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which includes 35 of the richest industrialised nations.

Under Mr Gurria the Paris-based group has expanded to include Chile, Estonia, Israel, Latvia and Slovenia. It has also led efforts to reform the international tax system and tackle corruption.

However, it has been claimed that, before he took office, his flat in one of the swankiest parts of Paris was refurbished at a cost of around £650,000.

The OECD has insisted Mr Gurria had no involvement in the refurbishment.

He also has close links to the UK, having studied for a master’s in economics at Leeds University, and he still has family living in Britain. And he has made little effort to keep his views on Britain leaving the EU private, even ahead of the decisive Brexit vote.

Before the referendum, he said Brexit would be a ‘major negative shock to the UK economy’, adding: ‘There is no upside for the UK in Brexit.’

Since then, he has declared that ‘nobody in their right mind will even attempt or even think of leaving the European Union’ in future having seen how tough it will be for the UK.