Vince Cable wants to force the UK to remain in the European Union. “Brexit is not inevitable. It can and it must be stopped.” He makes it clear what he wants, and why he wants a final people’s vote on Brexit.  It is not a desire to give a new choice to the people but he rather hopes it will lead to a reversal of Brexit.  In short, he is ignoring the result of the Brexit Referendum.

This is not the sort of leadership we need.  His ignoring the electorate demonstrates the state of his politics and bring it into disrepute.  It shows Vince Cable’s dogmatism, reminding us of the old adage that there are none so illiberal as the liberals.  He is becoming more strident as the moment of truth and reality dawns upon him.

This is the Party who pledged not to increase students’ tuition fees and ended up doing so, at which Vince Cable joked that the roads to Westminster are covered in skid marks from U-turns.  He wants more than half the country to join him in performing its own U-turn.  Although it will make him feel better, as a certain Iron Lady told the 1980 Conservative Party Conference: “You turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning.”  Britannia will be free.

Vince Cable’s suggestion  is a policy of despair from the Lib Dems, but it could still be a wrecking ball.

Updates:

14 Oct 2010: U-turns are par for Vince Cable’s course.

25 Jul 2019: the next Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson, is just as illiberal. The Lib Dems are campaigning for a second Brexit referendum but she has said that she would ignore a Leave vote in that second referendum. So what is the point in the referendum? Prime Minister Boris Johnson in his first outing at the Dispatch Box said: “It smacks of tyranny. These people pretend to be democrats, yet their plan is to quash the will of the people time and time and time again.”

16 Sep 2019: Lib Dems have now decided to campaign to remain in the EU.