At a press conference this afternoon, Cable strongly criticised the Coalition's immigration cap, and said he was "at the limit of collective responsibility". He also went off-message from the Coalition's record on the deficit, as he said that he and Alistair Darling didn't have "fundamental differences of philosophy on the economy".

 

I have to admit that, unlike the rest of the doormat Lib Dems in the Coalition, I still have quite a lot of respect for Cable. He atleast is speaking out about the things he thinks are wrong, and also is refusing to take part in the hysterical "OMG ITS LABOURS FAULT WE'RE MAKING CUTS COS OF THEIR SPENDER BENDER!!!!11" cries that the other Lib Dems like Clegg, Alexander and Huhne are joining in with. Hopefully he does walk out soon.

The "It's all Labour's fault" line got boring long ago. However, opinion polls suggest that most people still blame the bankers more than they blame any government.

 

I think we need to change the "collective responsibility" concept to fit in with coalition government. With two parties involved there are bound to be differences of opinion. The Lib Dems should not be afraid to say that they are not particularly happy with some government actions but are going along with them for the sake of stable government. The party is the junior partner in the coalition with only a fifth of the number of seats the Tories have (even though the Tories only got 50% more votes). Therefore, they are bound to have to make more compromises than the Tories. Where those compromises are made, they shouldn't be afraid to admit any unease they might feel.

I think the Lib Dems will split altogether and disband by the next election if not the one after that, can see the likes of Cable joining Labour and Clegg, Alexander etc joining us

There isn't really much need on the political spectrum anymore for the Liberal Democrats, given the SDP only formed in response to Labour going 'hard left' in the early 80s (of course, they've proven a use since then - being the only party to oppose Iraq etc.) - the social democrats will more than fit in with Labour providing Andy Burnham (or, at a stretch, David Miliband) don't get in charge, and the Orange Bookers are basically Tories that haven't been mugged yet :lol:

The "It's all Labour's fault" line got boring long ago. However, opinion polls suggest that most people still blame the bankers more than they blame any government.

 

I think we need to change the "collective responsibility" concept to fit in with coalition government. With two parties involved there are bound to be differences of opinion. The Lib Dems should not be afraid to say that they are not particularly happy with some government actions but are going along with them for the sake of stable government. The party is the junior partner in the coalition with only a fifth of the number of seats the Tories have (even though the Tories only got 50% more votes). Therefore, they are bound to have to make more compromises than the Tories. Where those compromises are made, they shouldn't be afraid to admit any unease they might feel.

 

It was mainly the bankers fault, but who was it that enabled them and didn't put the brakes on until it was way too late..? Gordon Broon, who didn't stop the likes of Northern Rock, HBOS, RBS or the others speculating and hedging (basically gambling with OUR money without our consent).... So, he has to take some of the blame. I mean, sorry, he WAS the Chancellor for about, oooooh, a DECADE after all, no one's gonna tell me that he wasn't aware of what the likes of Northern Rock or RBS were getting involved in, seeing as how the likes of David Blanchflower and the Bank of England were shouting warnings from the roof-tops that it was all going tits-up. Also the way the Bail-out was done without any kind of real oversight is something else I have an issue with... There was a Hedge Fund manager being interviewed on BBC News 24's Hard Talk who basically argued that the Govt should never have allowed public money to be used in this manner, and that these banks should've just been allowed to fail, because now they'll just go back to taking the same risks all over again because they know they'll get bailed out... Makes sense to me, and this is normally the sort of arch-capitalist slimebag that I'd have no kind of affinity with, but on this issue I agreed with him, the high street banks have no place playing the stock-market when they're taking money from the ordinary public.... And I dont exactly see the "Coalishun" rushing to break these banks up into investment and high street banking, or stopping the likes of RBS, Barclays, HBOS or HSBC from partaking in speculation and hedging, which is exactly what they should be doing if we ever want to avoid this situation happening ever again....

 

Vince Cable: I could bring down the Government

 

Vince Cable has privately threatened to “bring the Government down” if he is “pushed too far” during fractious discussions with his Conservative colleagues, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

 

The Business Secretary also claims that David Cameron will seek to scrap or reduce the winter fuel allowance paid to pensioners from next year.

 

He believes that policies are being rushed through by the Conservatives and that ministers should be “putting a brake on” some proposals, which are in “danger of getting out of control”. Mr Cable says that, behind the scenes, the Tories and Liberal Democrats are fighting a “constant battle”, including over tax proposals. Likening the conflict to a war, he says he can always use the “nuclear option” of resignation. His departure from the Government would spell the end of the Coalition, he claims.

 

The disclosures emerged in a secret recording of a conversation Mr Cable had with two reporters from The Daily Telegraph posing as Lib Dem voters in his constituency.

 

They provide the first concrete evidence of the level of distrust and infighting taking place within the Coalition. His comments indicate that the public professions of support between the parties may not be a true reflection of what is occurring in Cabinet. Mr Cable has appeared uncomfortable in the Coalition and his comments will lead to speculation that he could be the first high-­profile member of the Government to quit.

 

Following divisions within the Lib Dems over the raising of tuition fees, this newspaper has begun an investigation into the party’s true feelings towards the Coalition and it discloses widespread unease.

 

In the coming days, The Daily Telegraph will expose further concerns among Lib Dem ministers about Coalition policy and senior Conservative figures. In the conversation at his constituency surgery, Mr Cable was asked about his influence in government. He said: “Can I be very frank with you ... I have a nuclear option, it’s like fighting a war. They know I have nuclear weapons, but I don’t have any conventional weapons. If they push me too far then I can walk out of the Government and bring the Government down and they know that.”

 

The comments, which can be heard on The Telegraph website, will heighten fears that Mr Cable may be prepared to walk out of the Government if the Coalition fails to curtail bank bonuses, which is an issue he has championed. A meeting between Mr Cable, George Osborne, the Chancellor, and bank executives over the issue was cancelled yesterday after Mr Osborne was stranded in the US due to the bad weather.

 

During his conversation, the Business Secretary discloses that the operation of government involves a “constant battle” between the Coalition partners, although some Conservatives have allegedly begun siding with the Lib Dems.

 

“I’ve been involved in a big battle over immigration caps and I have won that argument,” he says. “That was mainly with the Conservative colleagues, but I had some allies like Oliver Letwin [the Tory Cabinet Office minister].

 

He said there was a “big argument” over the banks that was party political, with the Lib Dems arguing for a “very tough approach” that was opposed by “our Conservative friends”.

 

Yesterday Mr Cable insisted he remained committed to the Coalition.

 

“Naturally, I am embarrassed by these comments and I regret them,” he said. “I have no intention of leaving the Government. I am proud of what it is achieving and will continue to play my full part in delivering the priorities I and my party believe in, which are enshrined in the coalition agreement.”

 

In the recorded conversation, The Business Secretary, one of the most well known and popular members of the Cabinet, also expresses fears over the formulation of Coalition policy.

 

“We are trying to do too many things, actually,” he said. “Some of them are Lib Dem inspired, but a lot of it is Tory inspired. The problem is not that they are Tory inspired, but that they haven’t thought them through. We should be putting a brake on them.”

 

The undercover reporters posed as mothers concerned over changes to the benefits system, particularly the removal of child benefit for higher earners from 2013.

 

Mr Cable said he “understands the frustration” over the scrapping of child benefit for higher earners as it “has created a certain amount of injustice”. He said the scrapping of the benefit was done “in a rather cack-handed way” but blamed the Conservatives for the policy.

 

Mr Cameron is likely to be angered by Mr Cable’s disclosure that the winter fuel allowance, which is paid to all pensioners, may be under threat. The Prime Minister and other senior Conservatives have repeatedly said that the allowance is sacrosanct.

 

Downing Street sources said yesterday that Mr Cameron had no intention of scrapping the payment.

 

Mr Cable’s comments are likely to raise serious questions over his judgment. He spoke frankly to the reporters posing as young constituents during his first and only meeting with them.

 

The remarks present Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg with a major challenge to their authority as the Conservatives have long feared the ramifications of Mr Cable “going rogue”.

 

The Business Secretary has previously spoken out over bankers’ pay and immigration to the annoyance of Downing Street and Treasury aides.

 

SOURCE: Telegraph

 

--

 

Finally, Cable lifts the lid on the unease that most Lib Dem MPs are surely feeling about the vast majority of the Coalition's Tory-led government's economic policies. Although I think he's slightly deluded in his belief that he could bring the government down... that was probably true in the Coalition's early months, when he was surely the most popular Cabinet minister among the public, but he's ruined that now by being such an enthusiastic supporter of the tuition fees rise. Still, the coming face-off over bankers' bonuses will be interesting... Cable has been using some pretty robust language about the issue over the last few days, while George Osborne is known to believe that "bankers have suffered enough" (despite the fact that children have lost more from the govt's benefit cuts than banks will lose from the pitiful bank levy).

I doubt Cable would even contemplate 'bringing the Government down'. He knows which way his bread is buttered (he'll never be any position of power other than hand-in-hand with the Tories). He's all talk. I just don't know why he doesn't 'officially' switch parties and say he now stands for the Conservatives.

 

He's a dick!

 

Kath

I doubt Cable would even contemplate 'bringing the Government down'. He knows which way his bread is buttered (he'll never be any position of power other than hand-in-hand with the Tories). He's all talk. I just don't know why he doesn't 'officially' switch parties and say he now stands for the Conservatives.

 

He's a dick!

 

Kath

Very simple. He's not a Tory.

 

There are two possible scenarios for next year which would suit me.

 

Nick Clegg wants to show that coalition government can work. His way of doing that is to suggest that there is no difference between the two parties. I think that is the wrong tactic and that he should demonstrate that it is possible for two parties to work together while still having their differences.

 

After the AV referendum - whatever the result - Clegg may start to do more to emphasise the difference between the two parties, showing that both parties have made compromises and highlighting Lib Dem wins.

 

Alternatively he could jump ship and join the Tories. If that happens I hope the Lib Dems would elect a leader who wishes to continue with the coalition but would portray it as two parties making compromises in the interests of stable government while maintaining a degree of independence. If that meant Clegg loses his seat to a real Lib Dem candidate at the next election then so much the better.

After the AV referendum - whatever the result - Clegg may start to do more to emphasise the difference between the two parties, showing that both parties have made compromises and highlighting Lib Dem wins.

 

Alternatively he could jump ship and join the Tories. If that happens I hope the Lib Dems would elect a leader who wishes to continue with the coalition but would portray it as two parties making compromises in the interests of stable government while maintaining a degree of independence. If that meant Clegg loses his seat to a real Lib Dem candidate at the next election then so much the better.

 

This is the heart of the matter and all Lib Dems know it. The ghastly first past the post system means the Lib Dems have very little clout in government, when they should have a considerably larger number of seats having gleaned a substantial portion of the vote. AV is not a win, but it is a start and the Lib Dems are doing all they can at the moment to make sure that referendum goes ahead.

 

Sadly, due to the way FPTP favours the Tories and Labour, I cannot see the referendum returning a 'Yes' and it's after this that I expect to see a massive difference in the Lib Dems.

 

As for Clegg and Alexander joining the Tories, I think that's definitely far-fetched and I cannot ever see Vince Cable join Labour - especially when the majority of their MPs are the same bunch who just left Government. People in this country are so determined to have only two parties that they're actively speculating nonsense like this.

Actually, there's a big chance the AV referendum may go through according to an ICM poll which poses the question more accurately than any of the others...

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/de...bour-nick-clegg

What a disasterous day for Vince Cable. After briefly recovering the backbone that the Torries stole from him, he went and lost it again within the space of hours. His comment about delcaring war on Rupert Murdoch is the best thing he's said in months, then as soon as Papa Cameron comes to comment, he immediately backtracks on his comment.

Cable's comments about Murdoch are hardly a surprise. I'm sure most Lib Dems think exactly the same. It's typical of UK politics that he has suffered by saying what we all knew anyway. After all, some of his responsibilities have gone from Hable to C.., oh hang on, that's wrong. I meant from Cable to Hunt. Had a bit of a Jim Naughtie moment there.

no surprise BSkyB responsiblity has been moved to Hunt, they want to ensure it happens to keep Murdoch happy. I'm glad at least one member of the cabinet is'nt sucking up to Murdoch.

Pretty disastrous day for the Coalition generally. Cable's credibility is now shot to pieces, while Cameron looks terribly weak and unauthoritative for fearing the political consequences of sacking Cable. Meanwhile, the Lib Dem backbenchers will be unhappy that their favourite Cabinet minister has been weakened, and the Tory backbenchers will be fuming that Cable has survived something that, had it been done by a Tory minister, would almost certainly have been fired by now. Sadly, the only person strengthened by this whole affair is Murdoch, who will now almost certainly get his way on the BSkyB takeover.

Meanwhile, the Telegraph have also recorded another Lib Dem minister Norman Baker boasting to constituents that Cable "will stop Murdoch taking over BSkyB" and that it "wouldn't have happened without us there".

Murdoch is a hateful man and the most satisfying thing to come out of the election was imagining the look on his face when he realised he had failed in his task of extinguishing Labour completely. Hunt's not much better, so it's bad day for the country in that Cable won't be in charge of this anymore BUT it's also a fairly poor day for the Coalition, and every one of those makes every Labour supporter that little more optimistic.

Latest round of comments from Lib Dem ministers include one saying George Osborne has "the capacity to get up one's nose", another comparing the Tory-led government to South African apartheid, and another saying to someone who he thought was a constituent: "I don't want you to trust David Cameron." That last quote is a gift-wrapped Christmas present for Ed Miliband.

This is why we should be monarchy ruled.

This is why we should be monarchy ruled.

 

I guess at least the monarchy don't claim to be democratically elected, unlike this lot.

LOL i am LOVING this.

 

I wonder if they visited mighty Ming, now those would be interesting to read.