Sacking people turns some Tories on, says Vince Cable

Vince Cable rocked the Coalition today by accusing Conservatives of finding sacking people an “aphrodisiac” as he predicted another hung Parliament in 2015.

He warned that the Liberal Democrats must distance themselves from the Tories and fight the next election as a “totally independent, national, credible challenger for power”.

Mr Cable was set to open the door to a coalition with Labour, telling the party’s annual rally in Brighton: “We remain willing to work with other parties in the wider national interest.”

The Business Secretary was ratcheting up pressure to boost growth, calling for a plan A++ and warning that Britain had yet to escape the threat of “economic disaster” and the Coalition of “political oblivion”.

While defending spending cuts, he was set to state that the UK economy is still in a “dangerous” place, adding: “The country must not get stuck on a downward escalator where slow or no growth means bigger deficits leading to more cuts and even slower growth.” After over two years in Coalition, and struggling badly in the polls, Liberal Democrats were “battle hardened” but not “war weary”, he was to argue.

Aiming to please grass-root supporters, Mr Cable was to take a series of swipes at Tory MPs and advisers in his keynote speech.

“We have seen off the ‘head bangers’ who want a hire and fire culture and seem to find sacking people an aphrodisiac,” he was set to say.

He was to poke fun at Cabinet colleague Andrew Mitchell, saying: “I’ve been told jokes about social class are not good for the unity of the Coalition but as a mere pleb I couldn’t resist it.”

He was to attack “Tory backwoodsmen” opposing a “mansion tax” and even suggest Socialist French president François Hollande should follow his lead and bring in a “chateau tax”.

Lib-Dem members have seen the party flatlining in the polls and the loss of hundreds of local councillors.