Is Vince Cable selling his soul?

Now the Lib Dem, put up to do media for coalition, is forced to defend immigration cap.

By James Macintyre Published 27 June 2010 14:25

Poor old Vince Cable. First, the man who tried to persuade Gordon Brown to keep alive the prospect of a "progressive alliance" appears on BBC Question Time, apparently on the orders of the Tories, and "meditates" his way through a debate over the regressive, VAT-hiking Budget.

Now, he has been forced on the BBC to defend the cap on immigration that his party previously opposed -- as it did the VAT rise.

No wonder Harriet Harman says he has gone from "national treasure to Treasury poodle"; still less that a poll today shows half of all Liberal Democrat voters are poised to defect.

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12 comments

Mon, 2010-06-28 19:29 — clem the gem (not verified)

Missizicks- Labour has always been a coalition of Socialists, social reformers and radicals - that is precisely why it has survived the past 110 years..
If you dont like Labour policy, then join up and help those who would see it changed.
The Government talk loudly about constitutional reform, but it is only a referendum on AV, not even AVplus, that is being mooted, not change in itself. They are also firmer on cutting the number of elected representatives we have - from 650 to 500, in the name of efficiency. We have a growing population, but will have less say in government!

Mon, 2010-06-28 23:09 — Daisy2

Vince Cable selling his soul?

He's an Ian McGregor hatchet man without the donkey jacket and like McGregor he is lacking in that department.

Sun, 2010-06-27 14:54 — Danielle (not verified)

I just don't get the Lib Dems. They're committing political Hari Kari in front of the nation, for a few ministerial jobs and AV. Cameron puts a nice upperclass face on the Tory party as opposed to Thatcher's hard cruel way, but they are a ruthless party only interested in gaining power. Cameron knew that the obstacle to a outright majority was the Lib Dems now he's going all out to destroy them, albeit killing them with kindness. Only the Lib Dems can't see it as they are blinded by power. As for the referendum on AV, Tory groups once running the 'no to the Euro' campaign are already organising and fundraising to oppose AV.

Sun, 2010-06-27 15:25 — Attrition47

Tories out - Tories in; same as it ever was, same as it ever was....

Sun, 2010-06-27 16:47 — Nick (not verified)

After listening to Cable on television this morning, I'm more of an opinion that he hasn't got a soul worth selling!

Sun, 2010-06-27 17:06 — alan (not verified)

I have to agree with Nick (there i said it)

Cable frankly looked comfortable,well as comfortable as i've ever seen him on QT and again this morning he looks like a man who's happy with his lot but then again lets be fair the crap hasnt hit the fan yet with regards to the spending cuts i would assume he'll change his tune when the people turn against this ghastly travesty of a governement.

Political hari kari..yes that sums whats happening with the lobdems up very nicely.

Sun, 2010-06-27 18:29 — Exile (not verified)

I think this is all a bit of a storm in a teacup. Obviously if you join a coalition you have to give up some of your manifesto. And if you're in the cabinet you have to defend policies that you may personally have difficulties with. Even in a single party government!

Sun, 2010-06-27 19:21 — Abby (not verified)

The LibDems has been wantonly used by the Cons to get into power, as far as I'm concerned. Where was the fight against the tax evaders, promise to defer cuts until 2011, where was (at least) the £5bn bank levy, £2.5bn on CGT tax, 10k tax allowance we were promised, instead of the paltry £1000 increase to £7475, where was the immigration policy, the abolision of tuition fee policy and so on... I get the principle of compromise, but this is ridiculious in the highest order.

To those that keeps bashing the Labour party's record of 13 years, the Tories never achieved anything close in 18 years of their previous governments, and they never can. Instead, they sold everything that made UK great in those days and turned it into a country that has become a follower, instead of a leader in what counts. A country of very little economic credibility in the first world. The prerogative of a Labour govt is to help the vulnerable, disadvanged and the poor in the society, thats its function.

Sun, 2010-06-27 20:00 — missizicks

Why is everyone surprised that the LibDems are so comfortable in coalition with the Tories? They are economic and political liberals, which means they believe in free market economics and politics of the centre right. Their social liberal ideology has only ever been used to temper their naturally conservative approach to economics and politics. They are closer to the Tories than they could ever be to Labour, no matter how far Blair took that party to the right. Orange Book contributers (4 out of 5 selected for the cabinet, 3 out of 5 still there) want to take the LibDems back to the politics of Gladstone and away from the ideology of Beveridge and Keynes. It was always going to be this way, most voters just didn't know what the LibDems actually stand for.

It's the prerogative of a Socialist Labour government to help the vulnerable, disadvantaged and poor in society. Sadly, we don't have a Socialist Labour party any more. The already wealthy and the upwardly mobile don't like looking after people worse off than them. That's why tax figures so highly in people's decisions on who to vote for.

Cable got lucky with a couple of soundbites on the economy when the banks started to fail, but, when you probe deeper, he is as he appeared on the Andrew Marr show this morning - shifty and disingenuous.

Sun, 2010-06-27 20:51 — David Dee

From Mr. Bean to Rent Boy in one fell swoop !!

Sun, 2010-06-27 21:25 — Nick9

I'll second all of that Abby, well put! In this day and age of a so called 'civilised' society, we have an absolute and mandatory duty to maintain a proper welfare state.

The Tories always think it is something that can be dispensed with; they always promote it as being abused by it's intended recipients. It's all very well for those that can afford not to have to ever be reliant on the protection a proper welfare system should provides for. Those with fat private pensions, protected savings, long term job security and quality health assurance can all shrug their shoulders aghast at the expense of the welfare state for they will never need it.

Pensioners are the most at risk; for the biggest single expense in the welfare sector is Retirement Pension, this coalition is not so brave as to attack the grey vote but that's what's behind their hidden agenda, it's nothing to do with all this this guff about 'free choice' about working until whatever age you like. (the work til you drop policy!)

This shameless coalition will be knocking on gravestones next and waking the dead reminding those dearly departed that they could have managed a few years more!

Politics are built upon principles, throw them away and you lose your parties standing and the belief of all of those that entrusted their voted to you.

This coalition is the most transparent sham ever!

Mon, 2010-06-28 09:55 — Tom (not verified)

OFFS - please stop whinging about the Lib Dems - if Labour wanted a progressive coalition then they had 13 years to embrass 1) electoral reform and 2) progressive politics.
They did neither and all the leadership contenders continue in the same blinkered, smug, arrogant and non-progressive way.

Read the Sunday Times article about Brown and his pollsters and the dithering over the election that wasn't when he first became PM.

Even then, there was no vision apart from listen to the Focus groups and Labour must win under FPTP. Spine chilling.

Vince Cable perhaps recognises it is not something he wants to do, unlike say Diane Abbot, who has no excuse about sending her son to private school and just refuses to answer questions about it.