Gordon Brown will on Wednesday put fiscal discipline at the heart of the annual Queen’s speech to force ministers to accept budget cuts and boost his own credibility on public spending ahead of an election battle with the Tories. The UK prime minister’s final legislative package before the election will feature a fiscal responsibility bill, putting into law his plans to at least halve the £175bn deficit by 2014 and balance the books by about 2018. Although the Tories view the bill as little more than a gimmick, the Treasury says the measure will reassure financial markets and put pressure on ministers to identify public spending savings.