Lib Dems have turned corner, Cable insists

THE Liberal Democrats have finally found their feet in the Government and will start to get credit by the next election, Vince Cable has insisted as he warned Tory backbenchers his party had no intention of quietening down.

In an exclusive interview with the Yorkshire Post ahead of the start of the party’s conference in Birmingham today, the Business Secretary urges jittery supporters to “sit tight, don’t panic” after what he admits has been a “very difficult” year, the party being hammered in May’s local elections and toiling in opinion polls.

And after initial criticism that the Liberal Democrats were being used as human shields by their senior coalition partners to push through unpopular policies, he said the party has now “got the basic balance right” following vocal clashes with the Tories over health reforms, banking and tax.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For Tory MPs unhappy that “the tail is wagging the dog” in the coalition, he rejected any idea that his party has overstepped the mark.

Although Tory MPs outnumber Liberal Democrats six to one in the Government, Mr Cable said that the coalition was better compared on the two to one difference in vote share at the last election.

Mr Cable, who grew up in York, also insisted he is “optimistic and positive” that German engineering giant Siemens will decide to build a wind turbine manufacturing centre in Hull amid concerns the firm could instead choose an overseas site.

He also insisted there are signs of a “turnaround” in the North-South divide.