The Tories desert Cable in the Commons
James Forsyth 4:59pm
When a Secretary of State is in trouble, it is traditional that his governmental
colleagues rally to his side. But as Vince Cable defended overruling the Business Select Committee’s objections to Les Ebdon, there was but one Tory Cabinet minister on the front bench. This
despite Cable having rung round private offices in search of support, as Patrick Wintour reports. In total there were three Tories on the front
bench for most of the statement, Cable’s junior minister Mark Prisk, the whip Mark Francois and the Leader of the House Sir George Young in his normal seat.
The absence of Tory ministers combined with 13 hostile questions from Tory backbenchers shows just how uncomfortable the Tories are with this appointment. By contrast, the Lib Dems are delighted. Their benches were packed and all Lib Dem Cabinet ministers bar Clegg and Alexander were on the Treasury bench for Cable.
Ebdon’s appointment threatens to undermine all that the coalition is doing to try to promote the idea of excellence in education. It is also a significant moment for the coalition as it is the first time that the government has done something that Number 10 privately admits is actually bad for the country.
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It doesn't add up...
February 20th, 2012 5:19pm Report this commentPlease remember that co-conspirator Willetts was not available due to his trip to the Falklands and Antarctica. He should be banished there permanently, while the locals make him see sense.
Austin Barry
February 20th, 2012 5:38pm Report this commentFrom the Urban Dictionary:
“To lay cable - vacate the bowels, particularly with a long, firm, unbroken turd.”
Indeed.
RKing
February 20th, 2012 5:46pm Report this commentThe name Mr Bean springs to mind!
Mark Cannon
February 20th, 2012 5:51pm Report this commentSummer reshuffle: Cable to DFID, Mitchell to Health (goodbye Lansley), Alexander to DTI, Laws to the Treasury, universities to Gove at Education there they belong and Ebdon to the groves of academe (or Luton). Simple!
William Blakes Ghost
February 20th, 2012 5:57pm Report this commentWhat's this rumour that Universities might well be going back to Ministgry of Education? Enbdon won't be loved then...
Every time Vince opens his gob he has some of his powers taken away. Its about time they took his ministry away as well.
TrevorsDen
February 20th, 2012 6:01pm Report this commentYes - Cable is actually going out of his way to do harm. LDs shoot themselves in the foot (have Clegg and Alexander realised this?).
Paul
February 20th, 2012 6:28pm Report this commentHow can Cameron be trusted to defend national interests against the demands of the EU/Salmond/Argentina when he can't overrule Vince Cable, the grossly overrated old duffer who does nothing but irritate Tories and whine about business?
jazz606
February 20th, 2012 6:30pm Report this commentIf they really wanted to help the aspiring poor they would bring back Grammar Schools and provide decent vocational education for the non academic.
Dimoto
February 20th, 2012 6:39pm Report this commentAnd apparently, our Deputy PM, will use an upcoming LibDem party political broadcast to "demand" that "the government" (that's him, right ?) increases the tax threshold.
I find it hard to believe than anyone will vote for these irresponsible imbeciles !
Heartless C.
February 20th, 2012 6:57pm Report this commentThe 'Tory's' desert a useless appointment?
Well good for them.
Now there is but one obstacle for them to overcome, - and then the world is theirs.
But will the H2B prevail? Only PR can help him.
His increasingly desperate admirers must hope so!
Dimoto
February 20th, 2012 7:15pm Report this commentI see our gobby little Foreign Secretary did his bit for the economy.
After his war-mongering fantasy speech, oil jumped to US$ 120/bbl.
How about a nice long trip to China, India and Brazil, to do your real job (quietly) might even repair some of the damage ?
xenophon
February 20th, 2012 7:36pm Report this commentReturning universities to the portfolio of the Education Secretary where they belong can't happen soon enough.
Kingstonian
February 20th, 2012 7:51pm Report this comment"... the government has done something that Number 10 privately admits is actually bad for the country."
So why did they let him do it? Is Cameron so weak and feeble that he has to let a party of 57 - yes 57! MPs dictate policy like this? Pathetic!
Kingstonian
February 20th, 2012 7:52pm Report this commentThat was a rhetorical question.
an ex-tory voter
February 20th, 2012 8:18pm Report this commentThe only reason Vince Cable is in a position to do this damage is because David Cameron lacked the balls to sack him when the opportunity arose. The whole sorry saga is the result of having a Prime Minister who is anything but "prime".
Cogito Ergosum
February 20th, 2012 8:52pm Report this commentOne gets the feeling that Cameron is just not interested in technical or nitty-gritty issues. Hence the original appointment of Huhne as Energy Minister, and this equally disastrous appointment for universities.
Cable is as dreadful an appointment as Huhne was.
tom jones
February 20th, 2012 9:41pm Report this commentI'll admit I don't know that much about this appointment, but I did watch the commons statement and awkward doesn't do it justice. It was like when Cameron made his veto statement and our lot gave him praise and the LibDems were less than enthusistic. It is starting to feel a lot like we get something we want, they get something they want. Cracks are showing. What confuses me is that our MPs were saying they wanted merit over social mobility and the lib dems were welcoming a move to more social mobility. Can't we have a bit of both?!
Ruth
February 20th, 2012 9:46pm Report this commentCameron wants Limp Dim support for the boundry changes so this was the horse-trading compromise. Shameful.
2trueblue
February 20th, 2012 11:17pm Report this commentCable is not interested in democracy, he is interested in opening his mouth and getting his own way. The way to improve prospects for our students is to provide them with the education to get there on merit. At then end of the day having a good degree is what gets you in the door, no one asks where you came form, just where you are going. He really earns the name LibDumb.
Fergus Pickering
February 21st, 2012 1:13am Report this commentIf you are right Ruth, then Cameron has judged it very well. This Luton guy won't last long, no longer than it takes to give the universities back to Gove. It's a coalition, you know. You should read Trollop's novel 'The Prime Minister' and learn what coalition government has to be like. Has to be, I repeat.
Andy Carpark
February 21st, 2012 12:47pm Report this commenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luton
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