Cable's cuts
James Forsyth 9:45pm
Imagine for a second if Alistair Darling or George Osborne wrote a pamphlet about spending cuts which contained plans which were not yet party policy. The press would go into overdrive. Journalists would demand to know if Gordon Brown or David Cameron agreed with their numbers man. If there was no instant answer, splits stories would lead the news. The whole thing would be considered a disaster. But when Vince Cable does it, it is not a problem. Bagehot, The Economist’s respected political columnist, writes admiringly of Cable’s pamphlet for Reform before saying, “It isn't all Liberal Democratic policy yet, but much of it is likely to be.”
I think this latitude that Cable is given is one of the reasons he has become regarded as such an authority and a clear communicator, the media gives him space to think. But one can’t imagine Cable being given such an easy ride if he was in one of the two major parties.
One can argue that political debate in this country would be healthier if the media allowed Tory and Labour politicians to think aloud as well. But it is hard to disagree with what Alastair Campbell wrote in a perceptive post about Cable’s popularity, “his biggest advantages are that he is not in government, and he is not a Tory.”
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Ian
September 15th, 2009 10:25pm Report this commentPeregrine Worsthorne was once called a "tinsel king on a cardboard throne" by one of his Telegraph underlings. For some reason, the phrase comes to mind whenever I see or hear reference to Mr. Cable.
Carly
September 15th, 2009 11:13pm Report this commentInteresting piece in the Times:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/peter_riddell/article6836069.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797084
Billy Blofeld
September 15th, 2009 11:54pm Report this commenthis biggest advantages are that he is not in government, and he is not a Tory.
Which is why he appears on the BBC all the time to critique the governments "economic management".
Thus the public do not hear balanced views on subjects like the bank bailouts, because:
....... a left wing government, is being analysed by a centre left politician on a TV station which is institutionally left of centre.
It is the equivalent of marking your own homework (although on left wing approved acid)
Ray
September 16th, 2009 7:39am Report this commentIt will be interesting to see which way Cable bends once Cameron and Osbourne start taking an axe to government spending and the real pain starts to bite. There's nothing like a bit of unpopularity for prompting the Lib-Dems to exercise a quick 180 degree volte-face.
TrevorsDen
September 16th, 2009 10:22am Report this commentThe Telegraph has a report about the leak to Osborne showing the Treasury has plans to cut departmental budgets by 9.2%.
Osborne was on Today this morning.
This exposes Brown as a liar and totally justifies Fraser Nelsons allegations to him at that press conference and is comments here on the Spectator.
May I suggest Fraser writes to Brown asking for an apology? I doubt that the supine lobby will ask Brown to say sorry for lying to them.
ollie
September 16th, 2009 11:01am Report this commentI am still bewildered by this cult of Vince nonsense, and the way he has been artificially escalated to some kind of economic genius.
He has the enormous advantage of never having to worry about real votes - his party are not about to form the next government.
To that effect, he can say just about anything he likes - and will never come under the same scrutiny as the other two party's.
He's an old socialist at heart - like the majority of his party.
Moira
September 16th, 2009 11:07am Report this commentGordon Brown, like his predessor, blatantly lies to the country and Labour MPs are content that he does so. I hope the voters of Kikcaldy and Cowdenbeath are all taking note of these latest lies, after all the solution to having that deceitful, devious, untrustworthy, unelected PM in power is entirely in their hands
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