Are the knives out for Vince?

Patricia Shaw

pathetic post.

the minute cable exercises some social justice, and floats some ideas that may do some good in wider society, the conservative reality refuseniks and their stable mates here at the spectator, unliock the weapons cupboard.

All you do it show yourselves to be nothing but self serving ideologues, with zero interest in the wider country. Character assassination and the reprating of lies are your tools. Shameful.

strapworld

Andrex toilet tissue is a 'household name' too! I place Cable in that category

Johnboy

Vince Cable, the halfwit's halfwit.

chris as usual

The 31 page report 'Tackling the fiscal crisis' that Cable produced a few days ago, supposedly underpinning some of his ideas about spending cuts, struck me as an example of prima-donna vanity, as suspected by others who have been watching his recent performances.

The report does not say anything new, most of it taken from freely obtainable publications, and re-worked in his 'bedside' manner with which we have all become familiar.

Under pressure to explain himself, and his various changes of mind that have occurred over the past year, he unravelled in a sweaty fashion in front of both Andrew Neil and Jeremy Paxman. He clearly does not like to be challenged, so the current mess he has got himself into with his party will not have a happy ending.

The combination of Cable, and Clegg with his remorseless lack of logic, is another disastrous episode in the pointless party they promote. Clegg comes over as a sort of second rate teacher and Cable an old fashioned socialist.

Rhoda Klapp

"Andrex toilet tissue is a 'household name' too! I place Cable in that category"

Yes, 'cause like Andrex, Vince is on a roll...

Percy

The trouble is the sainted Vince used the "in the kingdom of the blind the one eyed man is king" card well for a while, but as the world has caught up some people are finally beginning to realise that he talks as much rubbish as the next man.

ollie

the twickers t*&t has, at long last, been exposed for what he is - a rather pitiful college lecturer.

Two things have totally undone cable's credibility - andrew neill's vicious expose of his incredible flip-floppery - and that dire speech he gave on Monday. It was as bad a speech I have heard from a "politician" in a long, long time.

Cable is a joke, the limp dims are a joke, and the people who vote for them are a joke.

THX1138

I'm going re post my comment on Cable that got lost in the system over the weekend and now with all the CH Cable bashing it seems an appropriate time to have another go.

Oh dear aren't the Osborne fan club worried, more Tory voters trust Cable on the
economy than Osborne so outcome Parris & Oborne to heap praise on their man, while Fraser comes in to rubbish the opposition..

But it wasn't always so!

Suddenly the former chief economist of Shell

"is As a business hack who went into politics,"

But last year according to Fraser this wasn't such a disadvantage:

"Cable is former chief economist at Shell. Packed with real world experience he is that rare beast: a politician who is properly qualified for the brief he. holds. He talks as an expert, whereas Osborne talks as a politician. The public far prefer the former"

Today Cable is dismissed as a:

"celebrity pundit - rather than politician"

But again last year Fraser was singing the praises of the "Sage of Twickenham"

"Cable has looked beyond party political point-scoring, and focusing on given a firmer and clearer explanation of events than anyone else. That is how you gain credibility."

Now:

"Vince Cable is not exactly an economic genius"

But in the not so dim and distant past things were very different, Fraser was suggesting that Cable might even do a better job as shadow Chancellor than his new hero and GQ politician of the year Boy George

"I bet even Osborne wishes Cable was on his team (and, perhaps, in his job)"

Fraser says that Cable

"admits to having flip-flopped".

Apparently he isn't be the only one, no wonder the nickname "Half Truth Nelson " is starting to stick -:)

Nicholas Hallam

Rhoda

Also like Andrex, Cable has a tendency to unravel at inconvenient moments.

Fernando

This problem stems from a lack of leadership and discipline in the party. I’m reminded of when, under Hague’s leadership, Anne Widdecombe called for zero tolerance of cannabis use only for the rest of her colleagues to look surprised and to have to admit to youthful transgressions.
The mansion tax might be a good idea but when tackled on the details and practicality of how it might work, Cable looked unprepared. Also, he admits his publicly-stated ideas are not all LibDem policy. Can you imagine Osborne getting away with that.
It is a sign of a deeper malaise. If Clegg can’t lead his party, how can he expect to lead the country.

David

"All you do it show yourselves to be nothing but self serving ideologues, with zero interest in the wider country. Character assassination and the reprating of lies are your tools. Shameful."

Patricia; don't you think it's a bit rich for you to say that when Clegg has called Cameron a "conman" and Huhne was about to call Hague a "skinhead" before realising how stupid it sounded and cutting it?

A little time spent away from atop your mighty steed is probably appropriate.

JONNY

Not forgetting either his dire doomsday warning:
'For gawdsake don't vote Tory because the Scots will hit the roof. And leave the Union'
Alright though if you vote Lib-Dem.
The we're all happy.

jon dee

By accusing the Tories of being "callow and pitifully ill-equipped- politically, morally and intellectually for the task ahead," Mr Cable clearly believes he can offer these qualities and the solutions to go with them.

However, by failing to consult his colleagues on his policies he runs the risk of becoming isolated while sounding a bit pompous.

Has he perhaps reached the Brownian plateau of believing his own press releases, or is he just laying down markers for pastures new ?

Alfred T Mahan

I'm not surprised that the policy was announced without prior consultation. Even the LibDem's own website thinks property taxes are unfair because they're not based on your ability to pay:

http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/axe_unfair

What with the lack of thought over the details, it looks as though St Vince was desperate to come up with a sound-bite policy for the conference and drew this one out of a hat.

Brian Herren

As MP for Twickenham, it might help to know that the average selling price for detached house in the area is, despite the current miseries, still in excess of £1m.

Cannot see Vince being greeted warmly by some of his voting public either.

PHILIP

It's amazing how political reputations can be virtually destroyed overnight. Following the interview with Andrew Neil, and with Jeremy Paxman last night after his conference speech,I now look at pictures of Vince Cable and all I see is a totally hapless individual. The Lib Dems are now the 'nasty' party and their current strategy against the Tory party will, I believe, spectacularly backfire on them.

Dirty Euro

The mansions tax is a good idea. Did you know the top 1% of the country has more than the bottom 95% we should tax the extreme rich more.

Lord Boyders

I always check myself when thinking about and getting emotional about Lib Dem policy -there is no need to get in a fret, it is only out of politeness that we discuss them at all. They can can come up with policies without any thought that they may have to cost or impliment them.

They are badly led by Clegg and his followers just want to be known as a bunch of nice people. Just have a look at the picture in yesterdays Telegraph, page 7, I think. Truly sad.

Dirty Euro

It is not a "Suicidal mansion tax". Poor Cable and Clegg. Are the Lib Dems cabinet a bunch of pea brained morons. The public would support a mansion tax. Only Mp's who all have mansions with duck islands with mansions, would think everyone in the country would be upset at a mansion tax.
Just because you and your duck have a mansion it does not mean we all do.

SD

"Andrex toilet tissue is a 'household name' too! I place Cable in that category"

Yes, 'cause like Andrex, Vince is on a roll...

And heading down the pan ...

Martyn Rowe

Let Cable's treatment at the hands of the media this past week be a warning to Cameron.

If the media decide to turn on someone, they can f*ck them over in no time.

Cameron needs to be very careful.

TGF UKIP

Brilliant THX 1138, you have Fraser absolutely bang to rights.

Your post does reinforce though an opinion I have long held: that Fraser is merely marking time as a journo (albeit a now very, very distinguished one) before moving seamlessly on to pursue his true metier in frontline politics.

Clearly he has the two brazen faces required.

Athesius the Facilitator

The "twirp of twitenham". Does anybody with half a brain take Vince the Cable seriously. I think he is a fence sitter extrordinary and now he's come out with his back of the envelope poll tax he's floundering like my coy carp after number 2 "nipper" poured fairy liquid into the fish pond. What a "sap" he is. Clegg, Huhne and Cable, loosers. Experts at wetting their fingers sticking them in the air and finding out which way the winds blowing. Yuk!!!

J H Holloway

As the earlier entry pointed out, Cable's own constituents would have been hit by his mansion tax...

Perhaps this policy will turn out to be the 'battle of Cable's street'...

Peggy.Day

I saw VC on a politics show during the crash and all he did was repeat...in his own words...what the Conservative bloke said. Now call me picky but where is the 'financial skill' in that?
I hoped with ALL MY HEART that the Lib Dems would bounce Labour into third place,they have just shattered my hopes! My dream outcome at the next election was to see Labour sitting where the Lib Dems sit at present.
What a waste of a golden opportunity!They do not diserve any major backing.
Still top of the ballot paper for me so far.Why?
We have three main problems..economy..immigration & Europe.
Pull out of Europe...Stop immigration until we know who is here & get rid of the illegals/foreign prisoners...Economy will save billions...deficit reduced...then vote accordingly at 2015(ish).Not ideal granted..but vital I fear.