Vincent Cable

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Vincent Cable

Dr (John) Vincent Cable (born 9 May 1943, York) is a British Liberal Democrat politician and economist. He is Member of Parliament for Twickenham and has been the Liberal Democrats' Treasury spokesman since 2003, having previously served as Chief Economist for the oil company Shell. He was elected as deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats in March, 2006.

Cable was born in York where he attended Nunthorpe Grammar School. He went on to study Natural Sciences and Economics at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and was elected President of the Cambridge Union in 1965. In the 1970s he was Special Advisor to the late John Smith when the latter was Industry Secretary.

Cable began as a member of the Liberal Party at university, joined the Labour Party after graduation, and left them for the Social Democratic Party in the 1980s. He has fought parliamentary seats for Labour, the SDP, and the Liberal Democrats. He failed to unseat Conservative MP Toby Jessel in 1992 but won the seat of Twickenham at the 1997 General Election, and increased his majority in the 2001 and 2005 general elections.

Cable is one of the contributors to the 2004 Orange Book and is firmly on the economic liberal wing of the party. He has argued that the Liberal Democrats should stand for "fairer taxes, not higher taxes", and many have seen this as a pitch for centre-right voters who did not support the Lib Dem's proposal at the 2005 general election to increase taxes on those earning over £100,000 (a policy which Cable himself is understood to be uncomfortable with).

Prior to the 2005 Liberal Democrat party conference, Cable suggested the idea of the Lib Dems forming a coalition government with the Conservative Party in the event of a hung parliament at the next general election. Then party-leader Charles Kennedy dismissed the suggestion at the time, maintaining that the party will remain an "independent political force". [1]

In late 2005/early 2006, Cable circulated a letter amongst his frontbench colleagues expressing a lack of confidence in the leadership of Charles Kennedy. Eleven out of the twenty-three frontbenchers co-signed the letter. On the 5th of January 2006, due to pressure from his frontbench team and an ITN News report documenting his alcoholism, Charles Kennedy announced a leadership election in which he pledged to stand for re-election. However he resigned on 7th January. Cable passed over the opportunity to run for the party leadership himself, instead supporting Sir Menzies Campbell's bid.

[edit] See also

Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team

[edit] Bibliography

The Orange Book - Reclaiming Liberalism edited by David Laws and Paul Marshall; contributions by Vincent Cable and others (Profile Books, 2004) ISBN 1-86197-797-2
Regulating Modern Capitalism (Centre for Reform Papers) Vincent Cable (Centre for Reform, 2002) ISBN 1-902622-36-7
Commerce (Liberal Democrat Consultation Papers) Vincent Cable (Liberal Democrat Publications, 2002) ISBN 1-85187-688-X
Globalization: Rules and Standards for the World Economy (Chatham House Papers) Vincent Cable, Albert Bressand (Thomson Learning, 2000) ISBN 1-85567-350-9
Globalisation & Global Governance Vincent Cable (Thomson Learning, 1999) ISBN 0-8264-6169-7
Preparing for EMU: A Liberal Democrat Response (Centre for Reform Papers) Vincent Cable (Centre for Reform, 1999) ISBN 1-902622-06-5
China and India: Economic Reform and Global Integration Vincent Cable (Royal Institute of International Affairs, 1995) ISBN 1-899658-00-9
Global Superhighways: The Future of International Telecommunications Policy (International Economics Programme Special Paper) Vincent Cable, Catherine Distler (Royal Institute of International Affairs, 1995) ISBN 0-905031-97-0
The World's New Fissures Vincent Cable (Demos, 1995) ISBN 1-898309-35-3
Trade Blocs: The Future of Regional Integration edited by Vincent Cable and David Henderson (The Brookings Institution, 1994) ISBN 0-905031-81-4
Commerce of Culture: Experience of Indian Handicrafts, Vincent Cable (Lancer International, 1990) ISBN 81-7062-004-X
Developing with Foreign Investment edited by Vincent Cable and Bishnodat Persaud (Routledge, 1987) ISBN 0-7099-4825-5
Economics and the Politics of Protection: Some Case Studies of Industries (World Bank Staff Working Papers Number 569) Vincent Cable (World Bank, 1984) ISBN 0-8213-0199-3
Education and Social Action Programming for Cable: Conference Report edited by Vincent Thompson (Council for Educ. Technology, 1984) ISBN 0-86184-131-X
World Textile Trade and Production Trends Vincent Cable, Betsy Baker (Economist Intelligence Unit, 1983) ISBN 0-86218-084-8
Case Studies in Development Economics Vincent Cable (Heinemann Educ., 1982) ISBN 0-435-33937-0
The Role of Handicrafts Exports: Problems and Prospects Based on Indian Experience (ODI Working Paper) Vincent Cable (Overseas Development Institute, 1982) ISBN 0-85003-086-2
British Electronics and Competition with Newly Industrialising Countries Vincent Cable, Jeremy Clarke (Overseas Development Institute, 1981) ISBN 0-85003-076-5
Evaluation of the Multifibre Arrangement and Negotiating Options Vincent Cable (Commonwealth Secretariat, 1981) ISBN 0-85092-204-6
British Interests and Third World Development Vincent Cable (Overseas Development Institute, 1980) ISBN 0-85003-070-6
Britain's Pattern of Specialization in Manufactured Goods With Developing Countries and Trade Protection (World Bank Staff Working Paper No 425/Oct 8) Vincent Cable, Ivonia Rebelo (World Bank, 1980) ISBN 0-686-36204-7
World Textile Trade and Production Vincent Cable (Economist Intelligence Unit, 1979) ISBN 0-900351-85-3
South Asia's Exports to the EEC: Obstacles and Opportunities Vincent Cable, Ann Weston (Overseas Development Institute, 1979) ISBN 0-85003-068-4
World Textile Trade and Production Vincent Cable (Economist Intelligence Unit, 1979) ISBN B0000EGG8M
Import Controls: The Case Against Vincent Cable (Fabian Society, 1977) ISBN 0-7163-1335-9
Whither Kenyan Emigrants? Vincent Cable (Fabian Society, 1969) ISBN 0-7163-2018-5