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Vince Cable contradicts Tim Farron over coalition with Corbyn's Labour Tories will 'slaughter' Labour under Corbyn at election, says Vince Cable
(about 1 hour later)
Former Liberal Democrat business secretary Vince Cable has slapped down a suggestion by the party’s leader, Tim Farron, that the Lib Dems could work with Labour’s new leader, Jeremy Corbyn. The Conservatives will “slaughter” Labour under Jeremy Corbyn in the next election, the former business secretary Sir Vince Cable has said amid a Liberal Democrat split on how to deal with the rival party’s new leader.
Speaking at a fringe event at the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth on Sunday, Cable said he did not mean his comments to be vindictive: “I have dealt with Corbyn and [shadow chancellor John] McDonnell over the years and they are perfectly agreeable as individuals… but they are not electable. They’re just not.”
Cable said the Conservatives were “waiting with their big-bore guns and there’s this ageing lion and they are waiting to open fire”.
“The Tories will slaughter them,” he said. “The Tories are absolutely ruthless, as we know to our cost, and they will slaughter them. And that’s the opportunity [for the Lib Dems]. And it’s not just an opportunity, it’s a responsibility, because the country desperately needs effective opposition.”
The Lib Dems opened their party conference with Farron – who was elected to replace Nick Clegg in July – arguing his party could replace Labour as the dominant party of the centre left in light of Corbyn’s landslide win in the Labour’s leadership election.
Despite having suffered near-wipeout at the general election, the Lib Dems are claiming to be optimistic about their chances of rebuilding support because Labour is taking a firm swing to the left under Corbyn.
Cable was speaking after he slapped down a suggestion by the party’s leader, Tim Farron, that the Lib Dems could work with Corbyn in government.
Despite describing Corbyn’s economic policies as “not credible”, Farron told the BBC’s Radio 5 Live on Sunday that a coalition of the Liberal Democrats and a Corbyn-led Labour party would be possible and “down to the arithmetic” of a general election result.Despite describing Corbyn’s economic policies as “not credible”, Farron told the BBC’s Radio 5 Live on Sunday that a coalition of the Liberal Democrats and a Corbyn-led Labour party would be possible and “down to the arithmetic” of a general election result.
However Cable said the Lib Dems working with Corbyn would be inconceivable unless the Labour leader did a “complete volte-face” on his economic policies of the past 30 years.However Cable said the Lib Dems working with Corbyn would be inconceivable unless the Labour leader did a “complete volte-face” on his economic policies of the past 30 years.
The Liberal Democrats have opened their party conference in Bournemouth, with Farron who was elected to replace Nick Clegg in July arguing his party can replace Labour as the dominant party of the centre left. Farron has suggested that at least two Labour MPs had called him to discuss defecting to his party. Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning, he said: “You can ask and it’s a number, but I think it would be unfair to them to go any further into that.” Pushed on whether it was fewer than two MPs, he said: “No, more than that.”
Despite having suffered near-wipeout at the general election, the Lib Dems are claiming to be optimistic about their chances of rebuilding support because Labour is taking a firm swing to the left under Jeremy Corbyn.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning, Farron suggested that at least two Labour MPs had called him to discuss defecting to his party.
“You can ask and it’s a number, but I think it would be unfair to them to go any further into that,” said Farron. Pushed on whether it was fewer than two MPs, he said: “No, more than that.”
Farron first hinted Labour MPs were considering defecting to his party in an interview with the Evening Standard on Thursday. He said that some senior Labour figures had called him distraught at the party’s change in direction.Farron first hinted Labour MPs were considering defecting to his party in an interview with the Evening Standard on Thursday. He said that some senior Labour figures had called him distraught at the party’s change in direction.
Related: Farron opens Lib Dem conference with promise to fill Labour's spaceRelated: Farron opens Lib Dem conference with promise to fill Labour's space
Questioned by the Standard on whether he had been contacted by any shadow cabinet figures, Farron said: “I couldn’t possibly comment. The bottom line is … people in the Labour party need to understand they can have conversations with me, which may or may not be conclusive, which will remain totally between me and them.”Questioned by the Standard on whether he had been contacted by any shadow cabinet figures, Farron said: “I couldn’t possibly comment. The bottom line is … people in the Labour party need to understand they can have conversations with me, which may or may not be conclusive, which will remain totally between me and them.”
Asked about possible defections from the Labour party on Pienaar’s Politics on BBC 5 Live, Farron said: “I certainly don’t expect anything imminently. My job is not to be a home wrecker to the Labour party.” The Lib Dem leader added that everything was unpredictable and no one could have foreseen 28 Labour MPs would join the SDP in 1981.Asked about possible defections from the Labour party on Pienaar’s Politics on BBC 5 Live, Farron said: “I certainly don’t expect anything imminently. My job is not to be a home wrecker to the Labour party.” The Lib Dem leader added that everything was unpredictable and no one could have foreseen 28 Labour MPs would join the SDP in 1981.
Labour MPs, including John Woodcock, chairman of the moderate Progress group, have rubbished the idea that any centrists would cross the floor.Labour MPs, including John Woodcock, chairman of the moderate Progress group, have rubbished the idea that any centrists would cross the floor.
Woodcock told the Guardian that he had no doubt that Farron was not telling the truth about the possible defections. “I think he is the last person my colleagues would confide in if they were distressed about the direction of the Labour party,” he said.Woodcock told the Guardian that he had no doubt that Farron was not telling the truth about the possible defections. “I think he is the last person my colleagues would confide in if they were distressed about the direction of the Labour party,” he said.
Related: Vince Cable calls for Labour and Lib Dem centre-left MPs to uniteRelated: Vince Cable calls for Labour and Lib Dem centre-left MPs to unite
Ahead of the Liberal Democrat conference, Cable who defected from the Labour party to the SDP said Labour moderates should unite with the Lib Dems to create a new political force on the centre left. He even suggested an “avalanche” of Labour MPs could split off and join together with his party. Despite Farron’s comments, peer and former Lib Dem MP Baroness Tonge told the Sunday Times that she was considering defecting to Labour because Corbyn’s honest politics were “a breath of fresh air”, claiming that lots of Lib Dems were thinking of doing the same.
Tonge, a former MP for Richmond Park, is still a Lib Dem party member but quit the parliamentary group in 2012 after refusing to apologise for saying Israel “is not going to be there forever”
Ahead of the Lib Dem conference, Cable – who defected from the Labour party to the SDP – said Labour moderates should unite with the Lib Dems to create a new political force on the centre left. He even suggested an “avalanche” of Labour MPs could split off and join together with his party.
Farron dismissed Cable’s comments, saying: “We’ve got the Liberal Democrats, why would we create a new party?”Farron dismissed Cable’s comments, saying: “We’ve got the Liberal Democrats, why would we create a new party?”
Speaking on the Marr show, Farron said: “My sense is there are liberals in other parties who are not yet Liberal Democrats. People in the Labour party and actually there are many people in the Conservatives who think that David Cameron and George Osborne are attacking workers is a terrible thing to do and think that risking Britain’s relevance and prosperity by taking us out of the European Union is a terrible thing to do. And I want to reach out to those people.”Speaking on the Marr show, Farron said: “My sense is there are liberals in other parties who are not yet Liberal Democrats. People in the Labour party and actually there are many people in the Conservatives who think that David Cameron and George Osborne are attacking workers is a terrible thing to do and think that risking Britain’s relevance and prosperity by taking us out of the European Union is a terrible thing to do. And I want to reach out to those people.”
Farron used a rally on Saturday night to appeal to liberal-minded members of other parties to find a new home in the Lib Dems, although he has backtracked on earlier suggestions that disheartened Labour MPs could soon defect.
“If Labour aren’t interested in standing up to the Tories and providing a credible opposition that’s their funeral,” he said.
“The Liberal Democrats will fill that space. Radical and liberal and responsible too. When the tectonic plates of politics move, they sometimes move immensely quickly – that is what is happening now.
“These are momentous and historic times, history calls us, we will answer that call. Britain needs a party that is progressive, moderate and liberal. We are that party. This is our moment.”