Darling, Cable for you: Go now
James Forsyth 1:02pm
Vince Cable’s reputation might be another over-inflated bubble that will have to burst at some point, but there’s no doubt he’s a formidable politician. Alistair Darling should be extremely worried that Cable is now demanding his scalp because of his property flipping.
“When he was accused of ‘flipping’ homes and getting the taxpayer to pay his accountancy bills, I was stunned. I assumed that either a good explanation or a resignation would follow. Neither did. I then assumed that a proper independent investigation would be launched to clear his name. Nothing.
Then I heard him on the car radio telling me that all MPs were to blame, not him personally. My wife had to calm me down, otherwise I would have driven into a ditch with rage. I imagine that the vast majority of MPs, including Labour members, who have not been abusing the system, felt the same.
Here is the company finance director caught with his fingers in the till. He doesn’t explain. He doesn’t apologise. He just blames his colleagues for not stopping him. His moral authority has vanished. He must go, now.”
Cable’s call is made all the more potent by the fact his own expenses are sensible and reasonable and that he’s not the kind of politician who goes around demanding resignations on a regular basis.
The way the Telegraph has done the expenses story has meant that there has been a certain safety in numbers for those who have been accused of wrongdoing. If Cable can get the spotlight to foucs on Darling's affairs, then Darling is in real danger.
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TGF UKIP
May 31st, 2009 1:17pm Report this commentVince Cable achieves the near impossible - the relevance of G Osborne is shrunken even further.
Andy Leeds
May 31st, 2009 1:18pm Report this commentDarling is dead meat anyway: Gordon the Moron wants his mate 'Silly Balls' to be Chancellor. As if these two idiots haven't done enough damage already.
Moraymint
May 31st, 2009 1:29pm Report this commentBrown could be saving Darling's scalp for later ... for Balls to fill the breach?
Then the interesting thing will be for how much longer Brown will be able to keep the lid on the pressure cooker full of "colleagues" boiling to take their revenge on probably the darkest, most Machiavellian and ruthless individual ever seen in British politics.
Ruthless and incompetent. No wonder we're skidding towards Banana Republic status.
roadrunner
May 31st, 2009 1:40pm Report this commentIt's not just Darling what about Hoon, Blears,Smith et al half the cabinet needs clearing out,Browns a total hypocrite on this.
THX1138
May 31st, 2009 1:56pm Report this commentI agree with TGF. I note that Portillo took a side swipe at Little George in ST column today:
"However, the Tory response to the economic crisis was less sure-footed. Perhaps it is unfair to expect an opposition to sound plausible when events are moving so fast and into uncharted territory. Yet Vince Cable managed it for the Liberal Democrats.
Fergus Pickering
May 31st, 2009 2:03pm Report this commentTGF UKIP, what on earth has this to do with George Osborne?
Kipling
May 31st, 2009 2:42pm Report this commentIs it out the realms of possibility that Cable has already been offered the Chancellorship and is helping Brown with an excuse to remove Darling next week. And the diversionary talk of Balls getting the job, is well, balls.
Peter Burns
May 31st, 2009 2:57pm Report this commentCable seems whiter than white on expenses and is sound in his pronouncements. Considering his background it would be surprising if it was otherwise. But he must be enjoying a wacking good Shell pension so, unlike other MPs he can well afford to take his Parliamentary dues and no more.Just a thought. Peter Burns.
SW
May 31st, 2009 3:28pm Report this commentDarling's toast on Friday morning anyway. Clever politics by Clegg and Old Sage here, makes it look as though they were behind some sort of momentum that led to the forthcoming sacking. Another word for it might be opportunism, but we're not allowed to say that about the supposedly nice party.
Roger Thornhill
May 31st, 2009 3:56pm Report this commentDarling in the Treasury, Smith at the Home Office.
Two people who have shown their utter incompetence and incapacity for the job. The closest they got to a Moral Compass was drawing one on their satchels in crayon.
Fergus Pickering
May 31st, 2009 4:59pm Report this commentVince Cable as Chancellor of the Exchequer? And Nick Clegg as hancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster, eh? And what will happen to the Liberal Democrats at the next election. Will they fight as a sort of conservatory to the Labour Party, all twiddly bits? Do they NEVER learn?
Swiss Bob
May 31st, 2009 5:15pm Report this commentThe whole cabinet are thieves, with I think two exceptions. I compiled a list but you don't like links.
(I excluded the Scottish and Welsh secretaries on the basis of irrelevance).
Chris
May 31st, 2009 5:22pm Report this commentSilly boy, Fergus. For TGF, everything that's happened since the extinction of the dinosaurs is a stick to beat George Osborne with. (And see also Verity on David Cameron.)
TrevorsDen
May 31st, 2009 6:57pm Report this commentCable is sound - ?
Err...
The quotes come from an article on the GM Europe worries (ie the British bits being closed down).
He says - "The German government, foolishly, is considering financial inducements to their new owners to keep the German Opel plants going."
But later - "other firms are closing because of banks demanding extra security, fat fees or cutting credit limits"
BUT Cable encouraged the govt to nationalise the banks, he said it was a good idea. But now he sings another tune.
IF it was a good idea for us Brits to nationalise the banks - why is it wrong for Germany to look after 25,000 front line car jobs and probably another 75,000 dependent jobs?
From which poisoned well does Cable draw his tainted fund of logic??
Meantime - "Vince Cable achieves the near impossible" -- huh? WTF, TGF , does this story about darlings expenses have to do with Osborne? TGF do you really think these moronic pronouncements fool anybody. Your points are ... well ... pointless.
JONNY
May 31st, 2009 7:12pm Report this commentCable has just said he won't be chancellor in a Labour government.
Because he is part of a team, not an individual.
So let's bury that nice rumour.
(And give Osborne a break).
Ian C
May 31st, 2009 7:12pm Report this commentTGF - your eye is off the ball. If Darling has to go because of expenses/flipping, whether he is forced or supported by Broon, he will no reason to withold what he found when he arrived in No. 11.
Brown is in danger from Darling whichever way these stories break.
What was that about Osborne?
TGF UKIP
May 31st, 2009 7:20pm Report this commentFergus Pickering, quite. Mounting any serious opposition to this dreadful government on the economic front has nothing to do with George Osborne.
Jack Thursby
May 31st, 2009 7:35pm Report this commentAfter his recent mysterious disappearance: "... what on earth is the point of George Osborne?"
A far more pertinent question Fergus.
Alex
May 31st, 2009 10:05pm Report this commentTGF UKIP - are you commenting on a different article by mistake?
Relevance?
Carrie
June 1st, 2009 12:45am Report this commentBTW. Where is Wally (George Osborne)??????
Fergus Pickering
June 1st, 2009 4:16am Report this commentChris, youare undoubtedly right. Nevertheless, blithering idiocy should not go unchallenged. TGIF, this thread is about Alistair Darling's dishonesty over his houses, not about his economic policy. Cableis not talking economics here, he is talking morals. Do you understand what I'm saying or shall I say it more slowly? Jack Thursby, your question mayor may not be more pertinent but it is not the one thatis being addressed. Do attend at the back there.
Steven
June 1st, 2009 6:16am Report this commentI smell a rat - first we get a decoy story about Balls as chancellor, then Cable pops up to demand Darling resigns. Next, there are further revevelations about Darling's second home allowance in the Telegraph. Could Cable be about to join Labour and become chancellor- I know it sounds far fetched but Brown knows he needs something radical to survive and St Vince might not be able to resist!
David Cram
June 1st, 2009 7:47am Report this commentLooking at the UK scene from the vantage point of the francophone Sahel, can I make the point that none of the denizens of Asda, Morrisons or Safeway gives a baboon's ass for what the Speccie gets in a froth about. Stand by for a surprise in your elections on Thursday. If they vote, that is, and I don't mean postal vote.
A tout á l’heure.
David Ossitt
June 1st, 2009 9:51am Report this commentJames what is going wrong lots of the articles are not adding the posts that are sent, take a look at your "A Gross Error of Judgement" nothing has been added since Friday, this is just one example.
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