View source for Vince Cable

{{short description|British politician (born 1943)}}
{{use British English|date=July 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name                = Sir Vince Cable
| honorific-suffix    = 
| image               = Official portrait of Sir Vince Cable crop 2.jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 2017
| office              = [[Leader of the Liberal Democrats]]
| deputy              = [[Jo Swinson]]
| 1blankname          = [[President of the Liberal Democrats|President]]
| 1namedata           = [[Sal Brinton]]
| term_start          = 20 July 2017
| term_end            = 22 July 2019
| predecessor         = [[Tim Farron]]
| successor           = Jo Swinson
| termlabel1          = [[2007 Liberal Democrats leadership election|Acting]]
| term_start1         = 15 October 2007
| term_end1           = 18 December 2007
| 1blankname1         = [[President of the Liberal Democrats|President]]
| 1namedata1          = [[Simon Hughes]]
| predecessor1        = [[Menzies Campbell]]
| successor1          = [[Nick Clegg]]
| office2             = [[Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills]]<br />[[President of the Board of Trade]]
| primeminister2      = [[David Cameron]]
| term_start2         = 12 May 2010
| term_end2           = 12 May 2015
| predecessor2        = [[Peter Mandelson]]
| successor2          = [[Sajid Javid]]
| office3             = [[Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats]]
| leader3             = [[Menzies Campbell]]<br />Nick Clegg
| term_start3         = 2 March 2006
| term_end3           = 26 May 2010
| predecessor3        = Menzies Campbell
| successor3          = [[Simon Hughes]]
| parliament4         = United Kingdom
| constituency_MP4    = [[Twickenham (UK Parliament constituency)|Twickenham]]
| term_start4         = 8 June 2017
| term_end4           = 6 November 2019
| predecessor4        = [[Tania Mathias]]
| successor4          = [[Munira Wilson]]
| majority4           = 
| term_start5         = 1 May 1997
| term_end5           = 30 March 2015
| predecessor5        = [[Toby Jessel]]
| successor5          = Tania Mathias
| title6              = Liberal Democrat portfolios
| suboffice6          = [[UK Trade & Investment|Trade and Industry]]
| subterm6            = 1999–2003
| suboffice7          = [[Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson|HM Treasury]]
| subterm7            = 2003–2010
| suboffice8          = [[Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy|Business, Innovation and Skills]]
| subterm8            = 2015
| suboffice9          = [[Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson|HM Treasury]]
| subterm9            = 2017
| suboffice10         = [[Department of Health and Social Care|Health and Social Care]]
| subterm10           = 2019
| birth_name          = John Vincent Cable
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1943|5|9|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[York]], England
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] (1988–present)
| otherparty          = [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] (before 1965)<br />[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] (1966–1982)<br />[[Social Democratic Party (UK)|SDP]] (1982–1988)
| spouse              = {{unbulleted list|{{marriage|Olympia Rebelo<br />|1968|2001|end=d}}|{{marriage|Rachel Smith<br />|2004}}}}
| children            = 3
| alma_mater          = {{unbulleted list|{{nowrap|[[Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge]]}}|[[University of Glasgow]]}}
| relatives           = [[Ayrton Cable]] (grandson)
| website             = {{URL|vincecable.org|Official website}}
| signature           = Signature of Vince Cable.png
| footnotes           = {{note|aaa}}Office vacant from 12 May 2010 to 7 January 2015.<br />{{note|bbb}}Office vacant from 12 May 2010 to 7 January 2015.
| module              = {{Listen
|embed            = yes
|title            = Cable's voice
|filename         = Vincent Cable BBC Radio4 Desert Island Discs 18 January 2009 b00gq4n2.flac
|type             = speech
|description      = from the BBC programme ''[[Desert Island Discs]]'', 18 January 2009<ref name="BBC-b00gq4n2">{{Cite episode |title=Vince Cable |series=Desert Island Discs |series-link=Desert Island Discs |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00gq4n2 |access-date=18 January 2014 |station=BBC Radio 4 |date=18 January 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014001744/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00gq4n2 |archive-date=14 October 2013 }}</ref>}}
}}
'''Sir John Vincent Cable''' (born 9 May 1943)<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-40655847|title = The Vince Cable story: Profile of new Lib Dem leader|last = Wheeler|first = Brian|date = 20 July 2017|access-date = 22 July 2019|work = [[BBC News]]|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190526172216/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-40655847|archive-date = 26 May 2019|url-status = live}}</ref> is a British politician who was [[Leader of the Liberal Democrats]] from 2017 to 2019. He was [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Twickenham (UK Parliament constituency)|Twickenham]] from 1997 to 2015 and from 2017 to 2019. He also served in the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]] as [[Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills]] and President of the Board of Trade from 2010 to 2015.

Cable studied [[natural science]] and [[economics]] at [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]], and after graduation was an ODI Fellow working as a finance officer in the Kenya Treasury under President [[Jomo Kenyatta]]. He then lectured in economics at [[Glasgow University]] and obtained a [[PhD]] studying part-time. He worked in the Diplomatic Service; directed research at the ODI; was a Special Adviser to the Commonwealth Secretary-General; headed the international economics programme at [[Chatham House]]; and worked for Shell Group Planning, becoming Chief Economist.

Politically, Cable was initially active in the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] and served as a Glasgow City councillor in the early 1970s. He later served as [[Special adviser (UK)|special adviser]] to then-[[Trade Secretary]] [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]]. In 1982, he defected to the newly formed [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic Party]], which later merged with the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]]  to become the Liberal Democrats. After standing unsuccessfully for [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] four times in Glasgow, York (twice) and Twickenham, he was elected for [[Twickenham (UK Parliament constituency)|Twickenham]] in [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]]. He was quickly appointed the [[Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson]], and was later [[2006 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election|elected as Deputy Leader]] in 2006. Cable resigned from both of these positions in May 2010 after being appointed as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|coalition government]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://iaindale.blogspot.com/2010/05/vince-cable-resigns.html |title=Vince Cable Resigns! |publisher=Iaindale.blogspot.com |date=26 February 2010 |access-date=19 June 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529155933/http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2010/05/vince-cable-resigns.html |archive-date=29 May 2010}}</ref> He lost his seat in [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]], although later regained it in [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]]. Cable subsequently stood in the [[2017 Liberal Democrats leadership election|leadership election]] to replace [[Tim Farron]], and was elected unopposed.<ref name=itvleader>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/2017-07-20/vince-cable-named-new-leader-of-liberal-democrats/|title=Vince Cable named new leader of Liberal Democrats|date=20 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720190640/http://www.itv.com/news/2017-07-20/vince-cable-named-new-leader-of-liberal-democrats/|archive-date=20 July 2017}}</ref>

In May 2019, Cable led the Liberal Democrats to their best national electoral performance since the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 election]], gaining fifteen seats in the [[2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|European Parliament election]]. This followed a campaign in which the party ran on an [[anti-Brexit]] platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/crjeqkdevwvt/the-uks-european-elections-2019|title=The UK's European elections 2019|date=26-27 May 2019|website=BBC News|access-date=27 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810175827/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/crjeqkdevwvt/the-uks-european-elections-2019|archive-date=10 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2019/05/why-liberal-democrats-bollocks-brexit-slogan-stroke-genius | title=Why the Liberal Democrats' "Bollocks to Brexit" slogan is a stroke of genius | access-date=27 May 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829232622/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2019/05/why-liberal-democrats-bollocks-brexit-slogan-stroke-genius | archive-date=29 August 2019 | url-status=live }}</ref> He subsequently announced his intention to retire from politics, and stood down as leader on 22 July 2019, upon [[2019 Liberal Democrats leadership election|the election]] of [[Jo Swinson]]; he stood down from Parliament at the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]]. After leaving parliament, Cable was a visiting professor in Practice at the LSE and a distinguished fellow at the ODI. He was appointed vice-president of the [[European Movement UK|European Movement]] in 2022. He is a company director: chair of Element 2, the hydrogen infrastructure company and chair of the e-freight 2030 consortium.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kanengoni |first=Jonathan |date=2 July 2022 |title=Sir Vince Cable makes political return as European Movement vice president |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/vince-cable-political-return-european-movement-vice-president-brexit-news-b1009684.html |access-date=27 August 2022 |website=Evening Standard }}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Cable was born in [[York]], to a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]-supporting family. His father started his working life as a craftsman at [[Rowntree's]] and became a Lecturer in Building Science at York Technical College.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/free-radical-a-memoir-by-vince-cable-p9bg32hh87v|title=Free Radical: A Memoir by Vince Cable|first=The Sunday Times review by Robert|last=Harris|date=8 November 2009|website=www.thetimes.com}}</ref> He became a leading figure in his Union (the NAS) and in apprenticeship training. His mother, Edith, initially packed chocolates at [[Terry's]] and later became a [[York Minster]] guide.<ref>{{cite news|last=Boseley|first=Sarah|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/10/vince-cable-adult-education-mental-illness-speech|title=Vince Cable: adult education helped my mother overcome mental illness|date=10 March 2015|newspaper=The Guardian|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810171933/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/10/vince-cable-adult-education-mental-illness-speech|archive-date=10 August 2017}}</ref>

Cable attended Poppleton Road primary school and [[Nunthorpe Grammar School]] (now Millthorpe School) where he became [[Head Boy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/10086948.poppleton-road-primary-school-doing-much-better/|title=Poppleton Road Primary School doing much better &#124; York Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/mr-jewell-sir-vince-cable|title=Mr Jewell by Sir Vince Cable &#124; Tes Magazine|website=www.tes.com}}</ref> He then attended [[Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge]], where he initially studied [[Natural Sciences (Cambridge)|Natural Sciences]] and later switched to [[Economics]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/analysis/vince-cable/182423.article |title=Vince Cable |work=MoneyMarketing.co.uk |date=12 March 2009 |access-date=23 September 2009 |location=London |first=Nicola |last=York |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324105548/http://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/analysis/vince-cable/182423.article |archive-date=24 March 2012 }}</ref> He was the President of the [[Cambridge Union]] in 1965. He was also a committee member and later President-elect of the [[Cambridge University Liberal Club]], but he resigned from the Liberal Party before taking up the office of President.<ref>[http://keynessociety.wordpress.com/about-the-keynes-society/ About us] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831181530/http://keynessociety.wordpress.com/about-the-keynes-society/ |date=31 August 2013 }} Keynes Society</ref> Whilst at Cambridge, he was a contemporary of the [[Cambridge Mafia]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/1480c361-337a-3c66-b8fe-908e8bfbd3f4|title=Vince Cable and the coalition twist to the Cambridge Mafia|website=Financial Times|date=7 December 2010|access-date=25 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025185504/https://www.ft.com/content/1480c361-337a-3c66-b8fe-908e8bfbd3f4|archive-date=25 October 2017|last1=Barker|first1=Alex}}</ref> In 1966, at the end of his studies at the [[University of Cambridge]], Cable was appointed as an [[Overseas Development Institute]] Fellow (ODI Nuffield Fellow) working in Kenya.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/3579.pdf |title=Life as a Fellow: Dr Vincent Cable MP, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson, The Treasury, Kenya, 1966–1968, From a speech presented at the ODI Fellowship Scheme 40th Anniversary |publisher=Overseas Development Institute (ODI) |date=15 July 2003 |access-date=9 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110151245/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/3579.pdf |archive-date=10 November 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>

He graduated in 1973 with a [[PhD]] in Economics from the [[University of Glasgow]] on [[economic integration]] and industrialisation, studying part-time while lecturing at the university.<ref name="cablephd">{{cite thesis |degree=PhD |first=Vincent |last=Cable |title=Economic integration and the industrialisation of small, developing nations : the case of Central America |publisher=University of Glasgow |date=1973 |url=http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.528593 |author-link=Vince Cable |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219164835/http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.528593 |archive-date=19 December 2013 }}</ref> He was awarded an [[Honorary Doctorate]] at [[Kingston University]] in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kingston.ac.uk/about/news/former-liberal-democrats-leader-sir-vince-cable-awarded-honorary-doctorate-from-kingston|title=Former Liberal Democrats leader Sir Vince Cable awarded honorary doctorate from Kingston University &#124; Kingston University London|date=26 May 2022|website=www.kingston.ac.uk}}</ref>

==Economics career==
After leaving [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]], from 1966–68, Cable worked as a Finance Officer in the Kenya Treasury.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.libdems.org.uk/cabinet_detail.aspx?name=Dr_Vince_Cable_MP&pPK=34755921-9323-4a73-8e4f-5f030c6ff139|title=Dr Vince Cable MP – Secretary of State for Business|publisher=Liberal Democrats|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212020017/http://www.libdems.org.uk/cabinet_detail.aspx?name=Dr_Vince_Cable_MP&pPK=34755921-9323-4a73-8e4f-5f030c6ff139|archive-date=12 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://odi.org/en/insights/life-as-a-fellow-dr-vincent-cable-mp/|title=Life as a Fellow: Dr Vincent Cable MP|date=15 July 2003|website=ODI: Think change}}</ref> Then, while lecturing at [[University of Glasgow|Glasgow]] on international economics, under [[Alec Nove|Professor Alec Nove]], he conducted research on economic integration working on the newly formed [[Central American Common Market]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theses.gla.ac.uk/2382/|title=Economic integration and the industrialisation of small, developing nations: the case of Central America|first=Vincent|last=Cable|date=22 May 1973|via=theses.gla.ac.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.stanford.edu/group/tomzgroup/pmwiki/uploads/1206-1969-Cable-a-JHS.pdf |title=The 'Football War' and the Central American Common Market |access-date=23 August 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812170856/https://web.stanford.edu/group/tomzgroup/pmwiki/uploads/1206-1969-Cable-a-JHS.pdf |archive-date=12 August 2017 }}</ref> He was then seconded to the [[His Majesty's Diplomatic Service|Diplomatic Service]] as a 1st Secretary working under [[Hugh Carless]] in the Latin American Department of the [[Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office|Foreign Office]] including a period attached to the [[Confederation of British Industry|CBI]] responsible for trade missions to [[South America]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40655847|title=The Vince Cable story: Profile of new Lib Dem leader|date=20 July 2017|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

He then directed research at the [[ODI (think tank)|Overseas Development Institute]] working mainly on trade policy and economic development in [[India]] writing ''Protectionism and Industrial Decline'', ''The Commerce of Culture'' and on [[European Union|EU]] trade policy.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://odi.org/en/profile/vince-cable/|title=Vince Cable|date=11 March 2025|website=ODI: Think change}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.econbiz.de/Record/protectionism-and-industrial-decline-vincent-cable-cable-vincent/10004049249|title=PROTECTIONISM AND INDUSTRIAL DECLINE / VINCENT CABLE|first=Vincent|last=Cable|date=22 May 1983|publisher=LONDON (U.A.) : HODDER AND STOUGHTON IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE}}</ref> During this period, he served as Special Adviser to [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]] when the latter was Trade Secretary; a consultant to the [[World Bank]] on trade policy, working with [[Béla Balassa|Bela Balassa]] and [[Helen Hughes (economist)|Helen Hughes]]; and India author for the [[Economist Intelligence Unit]].<ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cable |first=Vincent |title=Economics and the Politics of Protection Some Case Studies of Industries |url=https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/532011468781778162/pdf/multi-page.pdf |website=documents1.worldbank.org}}</ref>

He went to work, in 1983, as Special Adviser to the [[Secretary-General of the Commonwealth|Commonwealth Secretary General]], [[Shridath Ramphal|Shridath 'Sonny' Ramphal]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.georginacapel.com/our-author/vince-cable-mp/|title=Sir Vince Cable – Georgina Capel Associates ltd|work=Georgina Capel Associates ltd|access-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823120559/http://www.georginacapel.com/our-author/vince-cable-mp/|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref> He oversaw the work of expert groups on debt and on climate change and work on international capital markets leading to the establishment of the Commonwealth Equity Fund. He published, with B. Persaud, ''Developing with Foreign Investment''.<ref name="auto3"/>

Cable served in an official capacity at the [[Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting]] of [[1983 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting|1983]] in Delhi, witnessing "private sessions at first hand" involving [[Indira Gandhi]], then-Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]], [[Lee Kuan Yew]], and [[Bob Hawke]] among others. He was also present at the summits of [[1985 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting|1985]], [[1987 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting|1987]], and [[1989 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting|1989]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite book|title=Free Radical : a Memoir.|last=Vincent.|first=Cable|date=2009|publisher=Atlantic Books Ltd|isbn=9781848874381|location=New York|oclc=792687014}}</ref> In the same period, he contributed to the [[Brandt Commission]], the [[Palme Commission]], and the UN's [[Brundtland Commission]].<ref name="auto"/>

From the 1980s onwards, Cable authored and co-wrote numerous publications in favour of [[globalisation]], [[free trade]], and [[economic integration]] such as ''Protectionism and Industrial Decline'',<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://academic.oup.com/ia/article-abstract/60/1/127/2405988|title=Protectionism and industrial decline|first=F. V.|last=Meyer|date=1 January 1983|journal=International Affairs|volume=60|issue=1|pages=127|via=Silverchair|doi=10.2307/2618961|jstor=2618961 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> ''The Commerce of Culture'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.econbiz.de/Record/the-commerce-of-culture-experience-of-indian-handicrafts-cable-vince/10000729186|title=The commerce of culture : experience of Indian handicrafts|date=22 May 1986|publisher=New Delhi : Lancer Internat.}}</ref> and ''Developing with Foreign Investment''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/events/2018/10/distinguished_lecture_with_sir_vince_cable/|title=Vice-Chancellor's Distinguished Lecture|website=Department of Economics, The University of Warwick}}</ref>

Cable worked, in Group Planning, for the oil company [[Royal Dutch Shell]] from 1990 to 1997, serving as its Chief Economist between 1995 and 1997. His role at Shell came under scrutiny as the company was accused of playing a role in a turbulent era of [[Nigerian politics]] during the dictatorship of [[General Sani Abacha]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/09/mehdi-hasan |title=Vince Cable: Beneath the halo |magazine=New Statesman |access-date=21 December 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222035618/http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/09/mehdi-hasan |archive-date=22 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/john-vincent-cable|title=Vincent Cable|website=politics.co.uk|access-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823160954/http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/john-vincent-cable|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref>

He served for a period (1993–95) as Director of the Economics Programme at [[Chatham House]] publishing work on globalisation and economic integration including the book ''Globalisation and Global Governance''. He also wrote for the new think tank, Demos, and was one of the earliest writers to anticipate the Politics of Identity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/globalisation-and-governance/D820693BEB7C514312274B8D3221E279|title=Globalisation and Governance: International Problems, European Solutions|editor-first=Robert|editor-last=Schütze|date=22 May 2018|publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/ias/about/community/advisoryboard/|title=IAS International Advisory Committee|website=warwick.ac.uk}}</ref>

During his period in parliament from 1997 he wrote extensively including on economic subjects with the best-selling book ''The Storm'' (2009) on the [[2008 financial crisis]]; and ''After the Storm'' (2016).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.managementtoday.co.uk/book-review-storm-vince-cable/article/894189|title=Book review: The Storm, by Vince Cable|website=www.managementtoday.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2015/12/01/book-review-after-the-storm-the-world-economy-and-britains-economic-future-by-vince-cable/|title=Book Review: After the Storm: The World Economy and Britain's Economic Future by Vince Cable - LSE Review of Books|first=Rose|last=Deller|date=1 December 2015}}</ref>

He was made a Visiting Professor of Economics in 2016 at the [[University of Nottingham]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/economics/people/vince.cable|title=Full Staff Listing - The University of Nottingham|website=www.nottingham.ac.uk}}</ref> a Professor in Practice at the [[London School of Economics]] in 2021 a Visiting Professor at Sheffield<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lse.ac.uk/school-of-public-policy/people/vince-cable|title=Rt Hon Sir Vince Cable|first=London School of Economics and Political|last=Science|website=London School of Economics and Political Science}}</ref> and at St Mary's University.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stmarys.ac.uk/news/2016/sir-vince-cable-joins-st-marys|title=Sir Vince Cable Joins St Mary's|website=St Mary's University, Twickenham, London}}</ref>

In 2017, Cable became a [[Advisory board|strategic advisor]] on the World Trade Board for the annual World Trade Symposium co-organised by [[Misys]] and [[Financial Times|FT Live]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://worldtradesymposium.com/sir-vince-cable-joins-world-trade-board-as-strategic-advisor/#|title=Sir Vince Cable joins World Trade Board as strategic advisor|work=World Trade Symposium|access-date=26 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826072846/https://worldtradesymposium.com/sir-vince-cable-joins-world-trade-board-as-strategic-advisor/|archive-date=26 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://worldtradesymposium.com/the-board/|title=World Trade Board {{!}} World Trade Symposium|website=worldtradesymposium.com|access-date=26 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826075409/https://worldtradesymposium.com/the-board/|archive-date=26 August 2017}}</ref>

==Political career==
{{See also|Electoral history of Vince Cable}}

===Early years===
His early life and career is detailed in the book ''Free Radical''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/free-radical-by-vince-cable-1823822.html|title=Free Radical, By Vince Cable &#124; The Independent &#124; The Independent |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] }}</ref> At university, Cable was a member of the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]] but then joined the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] in 1966. In [[1970 United Kingdom general election|1970]], he contested [[Glasgow Hillhead]] for Labour, but failed to unseat the sitting [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP, [[Tam Galbraith]]. The same year, Cable stood for election to the [[Glasgow Corporation|Corporation of Glasgow]] in the Partick West ward, but failed to be elected. He became a Labour [[councillor]] in 1971, representing Maryhill ward, and stood down in 1974. He was a contributor to [[Gordon Brown]]'s ''The Red Paper on Scotland''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-40655847|title=The Vince Cable story: Profile of new Lib Dem leader|date=20 July 2017|via=www.bbc.com}}</ref> In [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979]], he sought the Labour Party nomination for [[Hampstead (UK Parliament constituency)|Hampstead]], losing to [[Ken Livingstone]], who was unsuccessful in taking the seat.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2009/dec/26/michael-white-politicians-decade-vincent-cable|title=Michael White's politicians of the decade: Vincent Cable|last=White|first=Michael|date=26 December 2009|work=The Guardian|access-date=31 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101175531/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2009/dec/26/michael-white-politicians-decade-vincent-cable|archive-date=1 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 1982, he defected to the recently created [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic Party]] (SDP). He was the [[SDP–Liberal Alliance]] parliamentary candidate for his home city of [[York (UK Parliament constituency)|York]] in both the [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983]] and [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]]s. Following the 1988 merger of the SDP and the Liberal Party, he finished in second place at the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]] to [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP [[Toby Jessel]] in the Twickenham constituency, by 5,711 votes.<ref name=":5" />

===Member of Parliament (1997–2015)===
Cable entered the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] after defeating sitting Conservative MP [[Toby Jessel]] in the Twickenham constituency in his second attempt, at the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]]. In his first term, he was a member of the Treasury Select Committee and campaigned for the victims of financial scandals (as with Equitable Life) and for Save Our Building Societies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmtreasy/712/71202.htm|title=House of Commons - Treasury - Ninth Report|website=publications.parliament.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2003-01-31/debates/fc65ab5b-264d-4eab-8652-f27ee826590d/OrdersOfTheDay|title=Orders Of The Day - Hansard - UK Parliament|website=hansard.parliament.uk}}</ref> He later chaired the All-Party Group on the Police and for Victims of Crime.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2003-04-01/debates/3062135f-3d0c-4e91-92d1-f26d123e4cee/RetiredPoliceOfficers|title=Retired Police Officers - Hansard - UK Parliament|website=hansard.parliament.uk}}</ref> He subsequently increased his majority at the elections of [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001]], [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005]] and increased still further in [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]. He lost his seat in [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]], but regained it at the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|snap election in 2017]].

In 2004, Cable was a contributor to the [[economically liberal]] ''[[The Orange Book|Orange Book]],'' which advocated for policies such as greater private sector involvement in higher education and healthcare.<ref name="newstatesman.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2010/07/liberal-democrats-social-party|title=Yellows in peril: the struggle for the soul of liberalism|website=www.newstatesman.com|access-date=28 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613234919/https://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2010/07/liberal-democrats-social-party|archive-date=13 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/john-vincent-cable|title=Vincent Cable|website=politics.co.uk|access-date=28 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823160954/http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/john-vincent-cable|archive-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-12310041|title=Did Lib Dem Book lead to coalition?|first=Edward|last=Stourton|work=BBC News|date=23 February 2011|access-date=28 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828203317/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-12310041|archive-date=28 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/09/mehdi-hasan|title=Vince Cable: Beneath the halo|website=www.newstatesman.com|date=10 September 2009 |access-date=28 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613160747/https://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/09/mehdi-hasan|archive-date=13 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> However, he has described himself as being a [[social democrat]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2011/05/cable-government-8220-power|title=I can see another financial bomb going off|work=newstatesman.com|date=26 May 2011 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110529090649/http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2011/05/cable-government-8220-power|archive-date=29 May 2011}}</ref> as well as an "open markets" liberal,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/vince-cables-keynote-speech-on-growth|title=Vince Cable's keynote speech on growth – GOV.UK|website=www.gov.uk|access-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823120629/https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/vince-cables-keynote-speech-on-growth|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref> and stated his desire to reconcile "economic liberalism with wider moral values and social justice".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/09/mehdi-hasan|title=Vince Cable: Beneath the halo|website=www.newstatesman.com|date=10 September 2009 |access-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714022224/http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/09/mehdi-hasan|archive-date=14 July 2017}}</ref>

Following the ''Orange Book'', Cable was one of several [[Lib Dem]] MPs who oversaw the party's shift towards economic liberalism with the adoption of a more [[free market]] approach,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3621340.stm|title=BBC NEWS {{!}} Politics {{!}} Lib Dems call for pro-market move|website=news.bbc.co.uk|date=2 September 2004|access-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222170930/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3621340.stm|archive-date=22 December 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Political Ideology in Britain (Contemporary Political Studies)|last=Leach|first=Robert|isbn=978-0230584730|pages=50|date=15 July 2009 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan }}</ref> a development which was suggested by some as having helped lead to the [[2010 United Kingdom government formation|2010 coalition with the Conservatives]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref name="newstatesman.com"/> In 2005, as Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson, he suggested the possibility of the party dropping its commitment to a 50p top rate of income tax, supported exempting people on low income from income tax completely, and explored the possibility of a [[flat tax]], with the former two proposals later becoming party policy.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4262630.stm|title=Lib Dems call for 'fairer' taxes|work=BBC News|access-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823121642/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4262630.stm|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lib-dems-may-support-controversial-flat-tax-plan-222951.html|title=Lib Dems may support controversial flat-tax plan|date=24 May 2005|work=The Independent|access-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823115629/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lib-dems-may-support-controversial-flat-tax-plan-222951.html|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref> Also in 2005, he said that there was no future for the Liberal Democrats to the left of [[New Labour]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/vince-cable-dancing-fan-cable-keeps-his-party-on-its-toes-493194.html|title=Vince Cable: Dancing fan Cable keeps his party on its toes|date=6 June 2005|work=The Independent|access-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823115539/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/vince-cable-dancing-fan-cable-keeps-his-party-on-its-toes-493194.html|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref> He was critical of what he considered the Labour government's slow response to cutting [[government waste]], later accusing Labour of allowing a "writhing nest" of [[quango]]s to develop.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3887053.stm|title=Brown axes 104,000 civil servants|work=BBC News|date=12 July 2004|access-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823122913/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3887053.stm|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Schifferes|first=Steve|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/vote_2005/issues/4357741.stm|title=Election 2005: Issues Analysis: The £35bn cuts claim|work=BBC News|date=6 April 2005|access-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823122820/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/issues/4357741.stm|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref>

Prior to the 2005 Liberal Democrat party conference, Cable did not rule out the possibility that the Lib Dems might form a [[coalition government]] including with the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] in the event of a [[hung parliament]] at the forthcoming general election. However, party leader [[Charles Kennedy]] said that the Lib Dems would remain an "independent political force".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4246080.stm |title=Interview: Vincent Cable |author=Justin Parkinson |work=BBC News |date=18 September 2005 |access-date=19 November 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223055306/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4246080.stm |archive-date=23 December 2007 }}</ref>

In late-2005 or early-2006, Cable presented [[Charles Kennedy]] a letter signed by eleven out of the twenty-three frontbenchers, including himself, expressing a lack of confidence in Kennedy's leadership of the Liberal Democrats. On 5 January 2006, because of pressure from his frontbench team and an [[ITN News]] report documenting his alcoholism, [[Charles Kennedy]] announced a [[2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election|leadership election]] in which he pledged to stand for re-election. However, he resigned on 7 January. Cable did not run for the party leadership, instead supporting [[Menzies Campbell]]'s candidacy.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1511962/Campbell-chosen-to-take-on-Tories.html|title=Campbell chosen to take on Tories|last1=Carlin|first1=Brendan|last2=Jones|first2=George|last3=Isaby|first3=Jonathan|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826112130/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1511962/Campbell-chosen-to-take-on-Tories.html|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=3 March 2006|access-date=26 August 2017|archive-date=26 August 2017}}</ref>

====Expenses====
Cable largely escaped criticism during the ''Daily Telegraph'' exposure of MPs 'expenses and was satirically described as 'St. Vince': "he claimed next to nothing, bought no flats, stole none of your money (and got it dead right on the economy). If only we could have St Vince". When overall MP allowances are ranked, Cable came in 568th for 2007–08 (out of 645 MPs). ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' also noted that he did not take a recent 2.33% salary rise.<ref name=13dt/>

As a Twickenham resident, Cable did not claim for a second home but commuted daily by train. However, ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' reported in May 2009 that he had been unaware that he was entitled to the London Supplement and so in 2004 wrote to the Fees Office to ask if he could receive retrospective payments for 2002–03 and 2003–04. The Fees Office refused the request, informing Cable that these accounts were already closed.<ref name=13dt>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5314829/Vince-Cable-doesnt-claim-for-second-home-but-asked-for-backdated-London-Supplement-MPs-expenses.html |title=Vince Cable doesn't claim for second home but asked for backdated London Supplement: MPs' expenses |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=13 May 2009 |first=Nick |last=Allen |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090517001058/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5314829/Vince-Cable-doesnt-claim-for-second-home-but-asked-for-backdated-London-Supplement-MPs-expenses.html |archive-date=17 May 2009 }}</ref>

===Deputy Leadership of the Liberal Democrats (2006–2010)===
[[File:CleggCable.jpg|thumb|right|Cable with Liberal Democrat leader [[Nick Clegg]] in 2009]]
Cable won plaudits for his repeated warnings and campaigns on the high level of [[personal debt]] in Britain.<ref name="Guardian1">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/feb/20/vincentcable.liberaldemocrats |title=The cult of Cable |quote=...Cable had been warning against Britain's growing personal credit card debt for several years..." |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=16 January 2009 |date=20 February 2008 |author=Michael White |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217182828/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/feb/20/vincentcable.liberaldemocrats |archive-date=17 December 2013 }}</ref> His was a significant voice of criticism during the [[Northern Rock]] crisis, calling for the [[Nationalisation of Northern Rock|nationalisation of the bank]], capitalising on the claimed indecisiveness of both the Labour Government and Conservative Opposition on the issue.

In May 2010, Cable declared his resignation as Deputy Leader to dedicate more time to his [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]] role as [[Business Secretary]]. His responsibilities and authority were somewhat reduced when it was revealed in December 2010 that he had boasted to ''Daily Telegraph'' reporters posing as constituents of his "nuclear option" to bring the government down by his resignation. Still worse, he claimed to the reporters that he had "declared war" on [[Rupert Murdoch]] of News Corporation despite having the responsibility to impartially arbitrate on the News Corporation bid to acquire the remaining 60.9% of BSkyB it did not already own. Amid cries for his resignation or sacking, all his responsibilities concerning the bid were removed. Cable did not resign.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}

====Acting leader of the Liberal Democrats (2007)====
Following the resignation of Sir [[Menzies Campbell]] as Party Leader on 15 October 2007, Cable being Deputy Leader automatically succeeded him as Party Leader, pending a leadership election. He declined to stand for leader, reportedly fearing [[ageism]] (Campbell's critics were accused of ageism,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hrzone.com/engage/employees/sir-menzies-a-victim-of-ageism|title=Sir Menzies - a victim of ageism?|date=17 October 2007|work=HRZone|access-date=2 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703050520/https://www.hrzone.com/engage/employees/sir-menzies-a-victim-of-ageism|archive-date=3 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and Cable was only 2 years his junior).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40655847|title=The Vince Cable story|last=Wheeler|first=Brian|date=20 July 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=2 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009144853/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40655847|archive-date=9 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cable received significant acclaim during his tenure as Acting Party Leader, with particular praise for his strong performances at [[Prime Minister's Questions]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7118733.stm |title=Vince Cable: Acting like a leader |work=BBC News |date=30 November 2007 |first=Arif |last=Ansari |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217165113/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7118733.stm |archive-date=17 February 2009 }}</ref> He was popular in the party and media for his attacks on the government's record over [[Northern Rock]], [[HM Revenue and Customs|HMRC's]] loss of 25,000,000 individuals' child benefit data and the party funding scandal surrounding [[David Abrahams (businessman)|David Abrahams']] secret donations to the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]. The latter attracted for Cable positive media attention for a joke at PMQs describing [[Gordon Brown]]'s "remarkable transformation in the last few weeks from [[Stalin]] to [[Mr. Bean]], creating chaos out of order rather than order out of chaos", called by ''[[The Economist]]'', "the single best line of Gordon Brown's premiership".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10225014&fsrc=RSS |title=Liberal Democrat leaders: The final straight |newspaper=The Economist |date=29 November 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222214414/http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10225014&fsrc=RSS |archive-date=22 December 2007 }}</ref>

====Views on the 2008 financial crisis====
[[File:Vince Cable, March 2008.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Vince Cable in March 2008]]
Cable is credited by some{{who|date=August 2017}} with prescience of the [[2008 financial crisis]]. In November 2003, Cable asked [[Gordon Brown]], then-[[Chancellor of the Exchequer|Chancellor]], "Is not the brutal truth that&nbsp;... the growth of the British economy is sustained by consumer spending pinned against record levels of personal debt, which is secured, if at all, against house prices that the [[Bank of England]] describes as well above equilibrium level?" Brown replied, "As the Bank of England said yesterday, consumer spending is returning to trend. The Governor said,
"there is no indication that the scale of debt problems have ... risen markedly in the last five years." He also said that the fraction of household income used up in debt service is lower than it was then."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/2003/nov/13/interest-rates |title=House of Commons Debates vol 413 col 396–400 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090704022509/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/2003/nov/13/interest-rates |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |date=13 November 2003 |archive-date=4 July 2009 }}</ref>

In his book ''The Storm'', Cable writes, "The trigger for the current [[2008 financial crisis|global financial crisis]] was the US mortgage market and, indeed, the scale of improvident and unscrupulous lending on that side of the Atlantic dwarfs into insignificance the escapades of our own banks." Cable commented that he had not warned about this: "one of the problems of being a British MP is that you do tend to get rather parochial and I haven't been to the States for years and years, so I wouldn't claim to have any feel for what's been going on there."<ref>{{cite news |author=Dominic Lawson |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5949844.ece |title=News Review interview: Vince Cable |work=The Sunday Times |date=22 March 2009 |location=London|author-link=Dominic Lawson }}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In September 2008, Cable praised the-then US President [[George W. Bush]] for the [[Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008]] and for attempting to "save Western [[capitalism]]." He compared this with Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]]'s response which Cable claimed was to be like a "Fairy Godmother" to the banks, and a "sideshow".{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

Cable has also been vocal over the [[bonus culture]] in the banking system. He has called for bonuses to all bank employees to be frozen.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7878418.stm Brown 'very angry' about bonuses]  BBC News, 9 February 2009</ref>

However, Cable has been criticised by some, mostly Conservatives, for "[[flip-flopping]]"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://conservativehome.blogs.com/leftwatch/2010/04/vince-cable-is-a-serialflipflopper.html |title=Vince Cable is a serial-flip-flopper |publisher=Conservative Home Leftwatch |date=8 January 2009 |access-date=24 April 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430041832/http://conservativehome.blogs.com/leftwatch/2010/04/vince-cable-is-a-serialflipflopper.html |archive-date=30 April 2010 }}</ref> on issues in connection with the crisis. For example, he is accused of criticising the Government's policy of [[Quantitative easing]], when in January 2009 he used the phrase "the [[Robert Mugabe]] school of economics",<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/vincent-cable-confiscating-savings-from-the-poor-is-both-stupid-and-cruel-1231923.html |title=Vincent Cable: Confiscating savings from the poor is stupid and cruel |newspaper=The Independent |date=8 January 2009 |access-date=14 April 2010 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100506055904/http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/vincent-cable-confiscating-savings-from-the-poor-is-both-stupid-and-cruel-1231923.html |archive-date=6 May 2010 }}</ref> while in March 2009 he said, "directly increasing the amount of money flowing into the economy is now the only clear option".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.libdems.org.uk/press_releases_detail.aspx?title=Bank_of_England_has_now_run_out_of_conventional_weapons_-_Cable&pPK=a636a96d-7dee-4817-846b-b28942d496f4 |title=Bank of England has now run out of conventional weapons – Cable |publisher=Liberal Democrats |date=5 March 2009 |access-date=14 April 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414182851/http://www.libdems.org.uk/press_releases_detail.aspx?title=Bank_of_England_has_now_run_out_of_conventional_weapons_-_Cable&pPK=a636a96d-7dee-4817-846b-b28942d496f4 |archive-date=14 April 2010 }}</ref> The Liberal Democrats also have responded that he was making the point that QE "needed to be managed with a great deal of care".<ref name="c4news-factcheck-vc-20100407">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/2010/04/07/is-vince-cables-economic-reputation-fully-deserved/ |title=Is Vince Cable's economic reputation fully deserved? |publisher=Channel4 News FactCheck |date=7 April 2010 |access-date=24 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100422053021/http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/2010/04/07/is-vince-cables-economic-reputation-fully-deserved/ |archive-date=22 April 2010 }}</ref>

On the issue of fiscal stimulus, Cable said in October 2008, "it is entirely wrong for the government to assume the economy should be stimulated by yet more public spending rather than tax cuts".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7696733.stm |title=Fiscal rules are dead – Cameron |work=BBC News |date=29 October 2008 |access-date=14 April 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216105104/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7696733.stm |archive-date=16 February 2009 }}</ref> In February 2009, however, he said, "we believe – and the Government say that they believe – in the need for a fiscal stimulus. Despite the severe financial constraints on the public sector, we believe that such a stimulus is right and necessary".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090202/debtext/90202-0006.htm |title=House of Commons Debates 2 February 2009 col 593 |publisher=Hansard |access-date=14 April 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301093423/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090202/debtext/90202-0006.htm |archive-date=1 March 2009 }}</ref>

On the principle of the independence of the Bank of England, Cable made his maiden speech in Parliament on 11 June 1997 supporting Gordon Brown's decision to legislate for the Bank’s operational independence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1997-06-11/debates/cc73185e-9f48-40b7-8907-87cefba8e8da/BankOfEngland|title=Bank Of England - Hansard - UK Parliament|website=hansard.parliament.uk}}</ref> The following month, though, faced with the unprecedented collapse of the banking system, he called on the Chancellor to urge the Governor of the Bank to make "a large cut in interest rates".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://northdevon-libdems.org.uk/news/000058/cable_to_halt_the_bank_tsunami_slash_interest_rates.html |title=Cable: To halt the bank tsunami, slash interest rates |date=5 October 2008 |access-date=14 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712213840/http://northdevon-libdems.org.uk/news/000058/cable_to_halt_the_bank_tsunami_slash_interest_rates.html |archive-date=12 July 2012 }}</ref> The Liberal Democrats have responded that this in no way changes their policy on [[Bank of England]] independence.<ref name="c4news-factcheck-vc-20100407"/>

===Coalition government minister (2010–2015)===
[[File:With Dr Vince Cable MP.jpg|thumb|Cable autographing a copy of his book, ''The Storm''|207x207px]]
At the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] Cable was again returned as MP for Twickenham. With the election resulting in a [[hung parliament]], Cable was a key figure in coalition talks, particularly the unsuccessful negotiations with the Labour Party. He strongly favoured working with [[Gordon Brown]] and reluctantly acquiesced in the decision to go with the Conservatives instead. The Liberal Democrats [[Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement|entered a coalition agreement]] with the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] on 11 May 2010, and Cable was appointed [[Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills]] on 12 May. [[Elizabeth II|The Queen]] approved his appointment as a [[Privy Counsellor]], and he formally joined the [[Privy council]] on 13 May 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2010/may/12/general-election-2010-davidcameron|title=New government – live blog|work=[[guardian.co.uk]]|date=12 May 2010|access-date=12 May 2010|location=London|first=Haroon|last=Siddique|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217183207/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2010/may/12/general-election-2010-davidcameron|archive-date=17 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/topstorynews/2010/05/her-majestys-government-49840 |title=Her Majesty's Government |work=Number 10 website |publisher=Office of the Prime Minister |date=12 May 2010 |access-date=12 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515034600/http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/topstorynews/2010/05/her-majestys-government-49840 |archive-date=15 May 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.privy-council.org.uk/output/Page76.asp |title=Privy Counsellors |publisher=Privy Council Office |access-date=14 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202200122/http://www.privy-council.org.uk/output/Page76.asp |archive-date=2 December 2010 }}</ref>

The major issue in which he was engaged at the outset of the Coalition was bank reform: setting in train the splitting of high risk investment banking from retail banking (which, following the Vickers Report on banking, was implemented in the form of 'ringfencing').<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/george-osborne-and-vince-cable-at-war-over-bank-reform-2346591.html|title=George Osborne and Vince Cable at war over bank reform &#124; The Independent &#124; The Independent |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] }}</ref>

One of the major disagreements within the Coalition was over tax. In May 2010, Cable insisted the coalition government was not split over planned increases to non-business [[Capital gains tax]], which some thought would raise taxes on sales of second homes by 40% or 50%. Senior Conservative MPs attacked the rise as a tax on the [[middle class|middle-classes]] and a betrayal of Conservative values. Cable said that it was a "key" part of the coalition deal and there was no disagreement over it between the coalition partners.<ref name="CG tax rise">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8707931.stm |title=Capital Gains Tax: No coalition split says Vince Cable |work=BBC News |date=27 May 2010 |access-date=19 June 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514181758/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8707931.stm |archive-date=14 May 2014 }}</ref> Cable said the changes to Capital Gains Tax would help to fulfill the Lib Dem aim of bringing more "fairness" to the tax system: "It's very important that we have wealth taxed in the same way as income."<ref name="CG tax rise"/> He continued,

{{blockquote|At present it is quite wrong and it is an open invitation to tax avoidance to have people taxed at 40% or potentially 50% on their income, but only taxed at 18% on capital gains; it leads to large scale tax avoidance so for reasons of fairness and practicality, we have agreed that the capital gains tax system needs to be fundamentally reformed."<ref name="CG tax rise"/>}}

In May 2010, Cable declared his resignation as Deputy Leader to dedicate more time to his Cabinet role as Business Secretary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8707493.stm|title=Cable resigns as Lib Dem deputy|date=26 May 2010|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> His responsibilities and authority were somewhat reduced when it was revealed in December 2010 that he had boasted to ''Daily Telegraph'' reporters posing as constituents of his "nuclear option" to bring the government down by his resignation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.channel4.com/news/vince-cable-i-could-bring-down-the-government|title=Vince Cable: I could bring down the Government|date=21 December 2010|website=Channel 4 News}}</ref> Still worse, he claimed to the reporters that he had "declared war" on [[Rupert Murdoch]] of [[News Corporation]] despite having the responsibility to impartially arbitrate on the News Corporation bid to acquire the remaining 60.9% of BSkyB it did not already own. Amid cries for his resignation or sacking, all his responsibilities concerning the bid were removed. Cable did not resign.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cable-the-man-who-declared-war-on-murdoch-and-lost-2166527.html|title=Cable: The man who declared war on Murdoch... and lost |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] }}</ref>

In July 2010, Cable sought to reform [[Line of credit|credit lines]] amid a "significant demand" (according to the [[Forum of Private Business]]) of smaller firms finding it harder to secure loans. Among a range of proposals published in a [[green paper]], Cable urged banks to limit bonus and [[Dividend|dividend payments]] to "pre-crisis and 2009 levels respectively", the green paper stating that such a move would enable banks to retain £10,000,000,000 of additional capital in 2010 could in turn sustain £50,000,000,000 of new lending.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/7911219/Vince-Cable-threatens-tax-on-profits-if-banks-pay-staff-rather-than-lend.html|title=Vince Cable threatens tax on profits if banks pay staff rather than lend|last=Armitstead|first=Louise|journal=Daily Telegraph|date=27 July 2010|access-date=3 November 2017|issn=0307-1235|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917214001/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/7911219/Vince-Cable-threatens-tax-on-profits-if-banks-pay-staff-rather-than-lend.html|archive-date=17 September 2017}}</ref> Concrete results included an agreement by the banks to finance a Business Growth Fund which has since invested £4 billion in 'patient capital' in growing firms.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bmmagazine.co.uk/news/vince-cable-set-to-launch-2-5-business-growth-fund/|title=Vince Cable set to launch £2.5Bn business growth fund|first=Business|last=Matters|date=18 May 2011|website=Business Matters}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-growth-fund-opens-for-business|title=New Growth Fund opens for business|website=GOV.UK}}</ref> Agreement followed in 2012 to establish the British Business Bank with £1 billion of government money.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19691162|title=Lib Dem conference: Cable promises £1bn 'business bank'|date=23 September 2012|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Formally established in 2014 it was investing £3.5 of public money in small business a decade later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/8fe98c74-6969-11e3-89ce-00144feabdc0|title=British Business Bank to target SMEs with potential|website=www.ft.com}}</ref> He was however seen as being vindicated when the story emerged in July 2011 of the News International ‘hacking’ scandal'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14266696|title=Vince Cable urges end to 'dominant' media moguls|date=24 July 2011|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> He was attacked from both right and left. He was deemed as an 'anti-Business Secretary'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-IMPB-3002|title=Vince Cable Denies He's the Anti-Business Secretary|first=Iain|last=Martin|date=22 September 2010|via=www.wsj.com}}</ref>
[[File:Lionel Barber, Editor, FT and Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable, Business Secretary (5879954131).jpg|left|thumb|Cable with ''[[Financial Times]]'' editor [[Lionel Barber]] in 2011]]

The left-leaning parts of the British press have been critical of his role in the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|Coalition Government]], from ''[[The Guardian]]''<ref>{{cite news |author=David Batty |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/dec/04/cable-criticised-uturn-tuition-fees |title=Cable under renewed fire over U-turn on tuition fees |newspaper=Guardian |date=4 December 2010 |access-date=21 December 2010 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217183135/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/dec/04/cable-criticised-uturn-tuition-fees |archive-date=17 December 2013 }}</ref> to the ''[[Morning Star (British newspaper)|Morning Star]]'' describing him as "the man who started off a Lib Dem and now looks more convincingly Tory than most of the Tory frontbench" for his role in supporting public spending cuts.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://peoples-press.com/morning-star-online-from-2004/editorial/item/95064-no-truth-in-this-cable |title=No truth in this Cable |work=[[Morning Star (British newspaper)|The Morning Star]] |date=10 September 2010 |page=8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918021541/https://peoples-press.com/morning-star-online-from-2004/editorial/item/95064-no-truth-in-this-cable |archive-date=18 September 2017 }}</ref>

Beginning in 2010 and continuing throughout the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition's tenure in office, Cable led the drive for [[deregulation]]; notably the "[[Red tape|Red Tape]] Challenge" to reduce existing regulation and the "One In, One Out" rule to limit any future regulation, Cable agreeing with the need for a "bonfire of regulations".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vince-cable-speech-bcc-annual-conference-central-hall-westminster-15-march-2012|title=Vince Cable Speech: BCC Annual Conference, Central Hall, Westminster, 15 March 2012 – GOV.UK|website=www.gov.uk|access-date=17 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918022510/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vince-cable-speech-bcc-annual-conference-central-hall-westminster-15-march-2012|archive-date=18 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-19535440|title=Vince Cable on a 'carefully considered' bonfire of regulations|work=BBC News|access-date=17 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171126191448/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-19535440/vince-cable-on-a-carefully-considered-bonfire-of-regulations|archive-date=26 November 2017}}</ref> ''The Guardian'' dubbed this as "[[neoliberal]]" while the response from the business community was largely positive.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jun/04/vince-cable-tory-songbook|title=Vince Cable is a Neoliberal Democrat|date=4 June 2010|work=The Guardian|access-date=17 July 2017|issn=0261-3077|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610180302/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jun/04/vince-cable-tory-songbook|archive-date=10 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.itv.com/news/story/2012-09-10/business-secretary-vince-cable-red-tape-health-and-safety-inspections/|title=Cable vows to cut back red tape|work=ITV News|access-date=17 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917214000/http://www.itv.com/news/story/2012-09-10/business-secretary-vince-cable-red-tape-health-and-safety-inspections/|archive-date=17 September 2017}}</ref> The right-leaning press took the opposite view: "Socialist Cable not fit for office. Business Secretary and fellow Lib Dems are damaging the economy with objections to cutting red tape, warns no. 10 adviser."<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9283748/Socialist-Vince-Cable-not-fit-for-office-says-Adrian-Beecroft.html|title='Socialist' Vince Cable not fit for office, says Adrian Beecroft|date=22 May 2012|website=The Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/cable-is-a-socialist-and-not-fit-for-office-says-adviser-who-exposed-coalition-split-h75n6q0rg2l?region=global|title=Cable is a 'socialist' and not fit for office, says adviser who exposed coalition split|date=23 May 2012|website=www.thetimes.com}}</ref>

He was in prolonged dispute with the leading banks over their reluctance to lend to small and medium-sized business. A party conference speech in September 2010 attracted particular attention, positive and negative: "On banks I make no apology for attacking spivs and gamblers who have done more harm to the British economy than Bob Crowe in all his Trotskyite fantasies while paying themselves outrageous bonuses underwritten by the taxpayer" attacked as 'banker-bashing' by the ''Daily Telegraph''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/alistair-osborne/8019780/Vince-Cables-puerile-banker-bashing-is-just-wrong.html|title=Vince Cable's puerile banker-bashing is just wrong|date=23 September 2010|website=The Telegraph}}</ref> He argued that the Coalition should focus on long term industrial strategy rather than deregulation, attacking 'backward looking Tory right-wingers and their ridiculous and bizarre claim that the key to economic growth in the UK lies through more business deregulation' which earned him the moniker 'Twickenham's Karl Marx'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/world/2019/03/commons-confidential-why-vince-cable-snapped|title=Commons Confidential: Why Vince Cable snapped|first=Kevin|last=Maguire|date=20 March 2019}}</ref> The Industrial Strategy was launched in 2011. It formed a major part of his ministerial legacy and had enduring importance through the Aerospace Growth Partnership, the Catapult Network.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/industrial-strategy-cable-outlines-vision-for-future-of-british-industry|title=Industrial Strategy: Cable outlines vision for future of British industry|date=11 September 2012|website=GOV.UK}}</ref>

In September 2010, during a speech at the Liberal Democrat conference, Cable said that bankers present more of a threat to Britain than [[Trade unions in the United Kingdom|trade unions]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/sep/22/vince-cable-full-speech|title=Liberal Democrat conference: Vince Cable speech in full|last=guardian.co.uk|date=22 September 2010|work=The Guardian|access-date=17 July 2017|issn=0261-3077|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129223200/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/sep/22/vince-cable-full-speech|archive-date=29 November 2016}}</ref>
[[File:General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (8406710162).jpg|thumb|Cable and [[Hugo Swire]] with [[Nguyễn Phú Trọng]], General Secretary of the [[Communist Party of Vietnam]], London, 2013]]
After the interim report on banking by [[John Vickers]] was published in April 2011, Cable said: "I was very impressed with the quality of the analysis. It does address head on the issue of banks that are too big to fail, the dependency on the government guarantee. It makes the case for separation," he added.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/8444306/Sir-John-Vickers-unveils-radical-shake-up-of-banking-industry-regulation.html|title=Sir John Vickers unveils radical shake-up of banking industry regulation|date=12 April 2011|work=Telegraph.co.uk|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415003329/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/8444306/Sir-John-Vickers-unveils-radical-shake-up-of-banking-industry-regulation.html|archive-date=15 April 2011|last1=Wilson|first1=Harry}}</ref>

In June 2011, Cable said "rewards for failure" were unforgivable at a time when real wages were being squeezed across the country. Speaking at the [[Association of British Insurers]] biennial conference, Cable warned he planned to bring "excessive and unjustified" executive pay under control by launching a fresh consultation. He said that although "Britain does have some world-class executives", investors had not seen a [[Return on investment|return]] "since the turn of the century" and claimed executive pay was 120 times that of the average UK employee, whereas it was only 45 in 1998.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/8592727/Vince-Cable-attacks-executive-pay-levels.html|title=Vince Cable attacks executive pay levels|date=23 June 2011|work=Telegraph.co.uk|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819075206/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/8592727/Vince-Cable-attacks-executive-pay-levels.html|archive-date=19 August 2013|last1=Dunkley|first1=Jamie}}</ref> Cable introduced legislation that would require companies to publish "more informative remuneration reports" for [[shareholder]]s. The plans also included [[Say on pay|binding votes by shareholders]] on executive pay as well as greater transparency and diversity on boards.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9033594/Vince-Cable-shareholders-should-hold-binding-votes-on-executive-pay.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=Vince Cable: shareholders should hold binding votes on executive pay | date=23 January 2012 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120124214808/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9033594/Vince-Cable-shareholders-should-hold-binding-votes-on-executive-pay.html | archive-date=24 January 2012 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

In November 2011, Cable announced the first of several reforms to employment laws. Beginning with changes to the tribunal system, he proposed the introduction of tribunal fees for employees making [[Claim (legal)|claims]] against employers, stating that the current system had become a "major impediment" to small businesses hiring people.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/jan/27/vince-cable-proposals-reform-employment-tribunals|title=Government sets out proposals to reform employment tribunals|last1=Mulholland|first1=Hélène|date=27 January 2011|work=The Guardian|access-date=25 October 2017|last2=agencies|issn=0261-3077|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026002437/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/jan/27/vince-cable-proposals-reform-employment-tribunals|archive-date=26 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/reforming-employment-relations|title=Reforming employment relations – GOV.UK|website=www.gov.uk|access-date=25 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025190030/https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/reforming-employment-relations|archive-date=25 October 2017}}</ref> The tribunal fees introduced by the Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, were later ruled unlawful by the [[Supreme Court of the United Kingdom|Supreme Court]] in 2017 after a court victory by trade union [[UNISON]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40727400|title=Employment tribunal fees ruled unlawful|date=26 July 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=25 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729082704/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40727400|archive-date=29 July 2017}}</ref>
[[File:Vince Cable & Stephen Hester.jpg|thumb|200x200px|left|Cable with former banker and CEO [[Stephen Hester]] in 2013]]
In an article in May 2012, Cable denounced the "red tape factories" of the [[European Union]], calling for increased deregulation and [[labour market flexibility]], as well as the expansion of the [[European Single Market|Single Market]] and scrapping of the [[Working Time Directive]]. He revealed that at a recent meeting of European economic ministers, a group of like-minded nations had formed in making these same demands.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/9250316/The-tide-is-turning-against-EU-bureaucracy.html|title=The tide is turning against EU bureaucracy|last=Cable|first=Vince|journal=Daily Telegraph|date=7 May 2012|access-date=25 October 2017|issn=0307-1235|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026001415/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/9250316/The-tide-is-turning-against-EU-bureaucracy.html|archive-date=26 October 2017}}</ref>

In September 2012, Cable and his department colleague [[Michael Fallon]] announced a large package of [[deregulation]] for businesses, including scrapping 3,000 regulations and implementing exemptions from health and safety inspections for shops, [[pub]]s, and offices. Cable claimed that businesses should not be "tied up in unnecessary red tape", but the move was criticised by trade unions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19540318|title=Safety inspections set to be cut|date=10 September 2012|work=BBC News|access-date=25 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913192732/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19540318|archive-date=13 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/d3f24a66-fa9b-11e1-93da-00144feabdc0|title=War on red tape sees 3,000 rules scrapped|website=Financial Times|date=9 September 2012|access-date=25 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025190013/https://www.ft.com/content/d3f24a66-fa9b-11e1-93da-00144feabdc0|archive-date=25 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.itv.com/news/2012-09-10/vince-cable-to-cut-back-on-red-tape-in-health-and-safety-shake-up/|title=Vince Cable to 'cut back on red tape' in health and safety shake-up|work=ITV News|access-date=25 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025054130/http://www.itv.com/news/2012-09-10/vince-cable-to-cut-back-on-red-tape-in-health-and-safety-shake-up/|archive-date=25 October 2017}}</ref> Days later Cable announced further deregulation involving changes to employment laws, proposing to reduce employee compensation for unfair dismissals and allowing employers and employees to agree to an out-of-court 'pay off' for under-performance dismissals. This was also criticised by trade unions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19594879|title=Tribunal payouts to be limited|date=14 September 2012|work=BBC News|access-date=25 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171127220645/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19594879|archive-date=27 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/employment-law-reforms-are-attack-on-workers-unions-claim-8139430.html|title=Employment law reforms are attack on workers, unions claim|date=14 September 2012|work=The Independent|access-date=25 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026001231/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/employment-law-reforms-are-attack-on-workers-unions-claim-8139430.html|archive-date=26 October 2017}}</ref> Cable was however attacked by the right-leading press for refusing to accept the recommendations of a Tory donor Adrian Beecroft for ‘no fault dismissal’: in effect firing at will subject to compensation.<ref name="auto2"/>

In January 2013, Cable rejected calls by Labour for the government to intervene in the [[high street]] crisis following the collapse of music retailer, [[HMV]], he said: "it is not the job of Government to sort out the problems of competition on the high street. Consumers make their choices and there are consequences."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/city-news/george-osborne-warned-high-street-1536514?service=responsive|title=Plan B or bust: George Osborne warned High Street will die unless Tories act|last=Hiscott|first=Graham|date=16 January 2013|work=mirror|access-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823114737/http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/city-news/george-osborne-warned-high-street-1536514?service=responsive|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/fffa9c9c-5f3d-11e2-be51-00144feab49a|title=High street reels from HMV crash|website=Financial Times|date=15 January 2013|access-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823114914/https://www.ft.com/content/fffa9c9c-5f3d-11e2-be51-00144feab49a|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref> In December 2013, Cable supported the continuation of [[zero hours contracts]] after a government review, saying "they have a place in today’s labour market",&nbsp;although admitting there had "been evidence of abuse." His statements were met with negative responses from British trade unions.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10527009/Vince-Cable-supports-zero-hours-contracts.html|title=Vince Cable supports zero hours contracts|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823143448/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10527009/Vince-Cable-supports-zero-hours-contracts.html|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref> He introduced legislation to outlaw abusive zero-hours contracts such as those where employers had imposed exclusivity conditions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-crackdown-on-zero-hours-contract-abusers|title=Government crackdown on zero hours contract abusers|website=GOV.UK}}</ref>
[[File:Jaguar XE - Arrival in London (15182848171).jpg|left|thumb|270x270px|Cable making a guest appearance for the reveal of [[Jaguar XE]] at the [[Earls Court Exhibition Centre]] in 2014]]

In 2014, during the [[Israel-Gaza conflict]], Cable received criticism for his involvement in the signing off of arms deals to Israel, primarily concerning component parts used in the assembly of [[Elbit Hermes 900|Hermes drones]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/07/uk-arms-licences-gaza-nick-clegg|title=Nick Clegg challenged over Vince Cable role in approving Israel arms sales|last=Mason|first=Rowena|date=7 August 2014|work=The Guardian|access-date=24 July 2017|issn=0261-3077|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917213717/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/07/uk-arms-licences-gaza-nick-clegg|archive-date=17 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/12/british-arms-exports-israel-gaza-block-suspension|title=UK government to block arms exports to Israel if military action resumes|last=Neate|first=Rupert|date=12 August 2014|work=The Guardian|access-date=24 July 2017|issn=0261-3077|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917213719/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/12/british-arms-exports-israel-gaza-block-suspension|archive-date=17 September 2017}}</ref> Shortly afterwards, he announced that arms exports to Israel would be suspended unless the recently declared ceasefire was upheld, a response which was condemned by [[Baroness Warsi]], and by the [[Campaign Against Arms Trade|CAAT]] who called it "very weak".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/12/israel-arms-embargo_n_5671921.html|title=UK Will Only Halt Arms Exports To Israel If They Bomb Gaza Again|first=Asa |last=Bennett |date=12 August 2014|website=HuffPost UK|access-date=24 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918021011/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/12/israel-arms-embargo_n_5671921.html|archive-date=18 September 2017}}</ref>

In February 2015, Cable was reportedly a speaker at an event hosted by various arms companies at a London hotel.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/vince-cable-one-of-40-mps-on-guest-list-for-arms-dealers-dinner-in-london-10026302.html|title=Revealed: the 40 MPs who attended arms dealers dinner|date=5 February 2015|work=The Independent|access-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823120029/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/vince-cable-one-of-40-mps-on-guest-list-for-arms-dealers-dinner-in-london-10026302.html|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref>

In 2015, Cable refused to issue export licences for the sale of [[Paveway IV]] laser-guided bomb to the [[Royal Saudi Air Force]] over concern about how they might be used in the [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen]]. Cable came under pressure from then-Prime Minister [[David Cameron]], Defence Secretary [[Michael Fallon]] and Foreign Secretary [[Philip Hammond]] for the immediate resumption of exports. Cable stated he was then given specific assurances by the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] that the UK would be given oversight of potential bombing targets to minimise the risk of civilian casualties, including involvement in decisions, to a similar level given to the United States. On this understanding, Cable agreed to issue export licences for a £200,000,000 order for the weapons. In 2016, it became apparent the Ministry of Defence did not have this level of oversight, to which Cable responded "That is categorically contrary to what I was told was going to happen."<ref name="guardian-20161104">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/04/mod-seriously-misled-me-on-saudi-arms-sales-says-vince-cable |title=MoD seriously misled me on Saudi arms sales, says Vince Cable |author=Nick Hopkins |newspaper=The Guardian |date=4 November 2016 |access-date=5 November 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105130004/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/04/mod-seriously-misled-me-on-saudi-arms-sales-says-vince-cable |archive-date=5 November 2016 }}</ref><ref name="dn-20150716">{{cite news |url=http://www.defensenews.com/story/breaking-news/2015/07/16/britain-diverts-bombs-destined-for-raf-to-help-saudi-fight-in-yemen/30236031/ |title=RAF Bombs Diverted to Saudis for Yemen Strikes |publisher=Gannett |work=DefenseNews |date=16 July 2015 |access-date=5 November 2016 |quote=Britain is transferring Paveway IV precision guided bombs originally earmarked for the Royal Air Force to Saudi Arabia to enable the Gulf state to build stocks of the weapon being used against targets in Yemen and Syria, sources here said.}} {{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="independent-20151127">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/uk-could-be-prosecuted-for-war-crimes-over-missiles-sold-to-saudi-arabia-that-were-used-to-kill-a6752166.html |title=UK could be prosecuted for war crimes over missiles sold to Saudi Arabia that were used to kill civilians in Yemen |author=James Cusick |newspaper=The Independent |date=27 November 2015 |access-date=5 November 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106123118/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/uk-could-be-prosecuted-for-war-crimes-over-missiles-sold-to-saudi-arabia-that-were-used-to-kill-a6752166.html |archive-date=6 November 2016 }}</ref> The sale is being investigated by the [[Committees on Arms Export Controls]].<ref name="independent-20160310">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/saudi-arabia-use-of-british-weapons-in-yemen-to-be-investigated-by-parliamentary-commission-a6922906.html |title=Saudi Arabia's use of British weapons in Yemen to be investigated by Parliamentary commission |author=Cahal Milmo |newspaper=The Independent |date=10 March 2016 |access-date=5 November 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106062102/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/saudi-arabia-use-of-british-weapons-in-yemen-to-be-investigated-by-parliamentary-commission-a6922906.html |archive-date=6 November 2016 }}</ref> As part of his responsibilities for export licensing Cable introduced a ban on the export of three pharmaceutical drugs used in the USA to execute prisoners on death row.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12263460|title=Drug sold in UK to be used for execution in Georgia|date=24 January 2011|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

Cable also introduced a wide range of other legislation: to introduce shared parental leave (Shared Parental Leave, Working Families);<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/education-13409841|title=Vince Cable proposes four weeks more parental leave|date=16 May 2011|via=www.bbc.com}}</ref> a register of beneficial ownership (House of Commons Library Registers of Beneficial Ownership);<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://motorsport.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/cable-echoes-calls-for-public-registers/|title=Cable echoes calls for public registers|website=Manx Radio Motorsport}}</ref> a strengthening of copyright protection (the Intellectual Property Act 2014);<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/1171|title=Intellectual Property Act - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament|website=bills.parliament.uk}}</ref> the protection of supermarket suppliers (Grocery Code Adjudicators Act 2013);<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fines-for-supermarkets-move-a-step-closer|title=Fines for supermarkets move a step closer|website=GOV.UK}}</ref> and the protection of pubs from pubcos.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2014/06/03/Vince-Cable-Why-we-are-acting-on-pubcos/|title=Vince Cable: Why we are acting on pubcos|date=2 June 2014|website=MorningAdvertiser.co.uk}}</ref>

====December 2010 ''Daily Telegraph'' comments====
In late-December 2010, undercover reporters from ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', posing as constituents, set up a meeting with Cable, who expressed frustration with being in the coalition and compared it to "fighting a war"; he stated he had "a nuclear option... if they push me too far then I can walk out and bring the government down and they know that", and had to "pick" his fights carefully. He also claimed the Liberal Democrats had pressed for a "very tough approach" to the UK's banks, which had been opposed by the Conservatives. He described the coalition's attempt at fast, widespread reforms (including the health service and local governments) as being a "kind of [[Maoist]] revolution", and thought "we [the Government] are trying to do too many things... a lot of it is Tory inspired. The problem is not that they are Tory-inspired, but that they haven’t thought them through. We should be putting a brake on them." When his comments appeared in the press, Cable stated, "Naturally I am embarrassed by these comments and I regret them", before reaffirming his commitment to the Coalition Government, stating that "I am proud of what it is achieving".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/liberaldemocrats/8215462/Vince-Cable-I-could-bring-down-the-Government.html |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20110108201009/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/liberaldemocrats/8215462/Vince-Cable-I-could-bring-down-the-Government-if-Im-pushed.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 January 2011 |title=Vince Cable: I could bring down the Government |publisher=Telegraph.co.uk |date=20 December 2010 |access-date=21 December 2010 |location=London |first=Holly |last=Watt}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Norman Smith |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12045792 |title=Vince Cable said he could quit coalition if pushed |publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=21 December 2010 |access-date=21 December 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101221051137/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12045792 |archive-date=21 December 2010 }}</ref>

In part of the ''Daily Telegraph'' transcript that it did not disclose, Cable stated in reference to [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s [[News Corporation takeover bid for BSkyB]], "I have declared war on Mr Murdoch and I think we are going to win."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12053656|title=Vince Cable criticises Murdoch takeover in secret tapes|publisher=bbc.co.uk|date=21 December 2010|access-date=21 December 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223045454/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12053656|archive-date=23 December 2010}}</ref> Following this revelation, Cable had his responsibility for media affairs – including ruling on Murdoch's takeover plans – withdrawn from his role as Business Secretary.<ref>{{cite news |first=Patrick |last=Wintour |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/dec/21/vince-cable-war-murdoch-gaffe |title=Humiliated Vince Cable stripped of Sky role after 'war with Murdoch' gaffe |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=21 December 2010 |access-date=23 January 2011 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204222939/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/dec/21/vince-cable-war-murdoch-gaffe |archive-date=4 December 2013 }}</ref> In May 2011, the [[Press Complaints Commission]] upheld a complaint regarding the ''Telegraph'''s use of subterfuge.<ref>''[[The Guardian]]'', 10 May 2011, [https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/may/10/daily-telegraph-vince-cable-tapes Daily Telegraph censured by PCC over Vince Cable tapes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231215038/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/may/10/daily-telegraph-vince-cable-tapes |date=31 December 2016 }}</ref>

Cable's stature in the Government grew since then, being dubbed "the moral centre of this Coalition" by [[Peter Oborne]], chief political commentator at the ''Daily Telegraph''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9285065/Leave-Business-Secretary-Vince-Cable-alone-hes-the-moral-centre-of-this-Coalition.html|title=Leave Business Secretary Vince Cable alone – he's the moral centre of this Coalition|date=23 May 2012|work=Telegraph.co.uk|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525043717/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9285065/Leave-Business-Secretary-Vince-Cable-alone-hes-the-moral-centre-of-this-Coalition.html|archive-date=25 May 2012|last1=Oborne|first1=Peter}}</ref>

====Royal Mail sale====
As Business Secretary, Cable oversaw the [[privatisation]] of the [[Royal Mail]] in 2013. The share price increased by 38% within a day and 70% in a year. The [[National Audit Office (United Kingdom)|National Audit Office]] said that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills was too cautious when setting the sale price, but that a planned postal workers' union strike also affected the government's sale price. Cable refused to apologise, and said that the Government had been right to take a cautious approach, pointing out that the sale had raised £2,000,000,000 for the taxpayer, with a further £1,500,000,000 from the 30% stake in Royal Mail which it had retained. The NAO also noted that some "priority investors", had made significant profits following the sale, having been allocated more shares in the belief that they would form part of a stable and supportive shareholder base. However, almost half of the shares allocated to them had been sold within a few weeks of the sale.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26819971|title=BBC News – Business Secretary Vince Cable defends Royal Mail sale|work=BBC News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140406074328/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26819971|archive-date=6 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/royal-mail-vince-cable-faces-grilling-from-mps-over-privatisation-8966518.html|title=Royal Mail: Vince Cable faces grilling from MPs over privatisation|work=Evening Standard|access-date=1 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201140131/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/royal-mail-vince-cable-faces-grilling-from-mps-over-privatisation-8966518.html|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Cable invited the independent Labour peer and financier Lord Myners to conduct a review of the sale.  He was critical of some technical aspects of the sale but concluded that there had been little undervaluation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jul/09/lord-myners-review-ipos-royal-mail-controversy-privatisation-vince-cable|title=Lord Myners to review IPOs following Royal Mail sale controversy|first=Rupert|last=Neate|date=9 July 2014|via=The Guardian}}</ref>

=== Post-ministerial career ===
Cable lost his seat, previously considered [[safe seat|safe]] – with a majority of 12,140 – to the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] candidate [[Tania Mathias]] at the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]].<ref>{{cite web|url =https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/election-2015-32643817|title =Vince Cable loses seat to the Conservatives|date =8 May 2015|website =BBC News|url-status =live|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20150508043552/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32643817|archive-date =8 May 2015|df =dmy-all}}</ref> Mathias won with a majority of 2,017 votes.<ref>{{cite news|url =https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11591281/conservative-government-live.html|title =Election 2015 Live Report|date =8 May 2015|website =The Guardian|url-status =live|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20150513215954/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/11591281/conservative-government-live.html|archive-date =13 May 2015|df =dmy-all}}</ref> He had the longest tenure as [[President of the Board of Trade]] since that of [[Peter Thorneycroft]], which ended in 1957.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11593996/Why-the-next-Conservative-Government-wont-be-business-as-usual.html|title=Why the next Conservative Government won't be business as usual|last=Dakers|first=Marion|journal=Daily Telegraph|date=9 May 2015|access-date=1 December 2018|issn=0307-1235|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201135225/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11593996/Why-the-next-Conservative-Government-wont-be-business-as-usual.html|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Return to parliament===

Cable announced on 18 April 2017 his intention to stand for his former seat of Twickenham at the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|snap general election]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/vince-cable-general-election-run-parliament-lib-dem-business-secretary-snap-announcement-a7689056.html |title=Vince Cable to run for parliament again after Theresa May's snap general election announcement |author-last=Mortimer |author-first=Caroline |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=18 April 2017 |access-date=19 April 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419003212/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/vince-cable-general-election-run-parliament-lib-dem-business-secretary-snap-announcement-a7689056.html |archive-date=19 April 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=May|first=Josh|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/85149/coalition-bigwigs-vince-cable|title=Coalition bigwigs Vince Cable, Simon Hughes and Ed Davey prepare to stand again for the Liberal Democrats|work=Politics Home|date=18 April 2017|access-date=18 April 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422145736/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/85149/coalition-bigwigs-vince-cable|archive-date=22 April 2017}}</ref> In May 2017, Cable urged Liberal Democrat supporters to vote tactically for [[Ealing Central and Acton]] Labour candidate [[Rupa Huq]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Hughes|first=Laura|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/08/revealed-sir-vince-cable-urges-lib-dem-supporters-back-labour/|title=Revealed: Sir Vince Cable urges Lib Dem supporters to back Labour candidates in general election|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=8 May 2017|access-date=18 May 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511013850/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/08/revealed-sir-vince-cable-urges-lib-dem-supporters-back-labour/|archive-date=11 May 2017}}</ref> At the election, he was successful in winning back his former seat, with a majority of 9,762 votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40208821|title=Ex-Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg loses – but Vince Cable's back|date=9 June 2017|work=[[BBC Online]]|access-date=9 June 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609020510/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40208821|archive-date=9 June 2017}}</ref>

In a cross-party effort shortly after the election, Cable along with former Labour Party Leader [[Ed Miliband]] and veteran Conservative MP [[Ken Clarke]] made a joint submission to [[Ofcom]], opposing [[21st Century Fox]]'s takeover bid of [[Sky UK|Sky]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jul/01/senior-cross-party-mps-consider-holding-vote-on-murdochs-sky-takeover-bid|title=Senior cross-party MPs consider holding vote on Murdoch's Sky takeover bid|last1=Ruddick|first1=Graham|date=1 July 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=23 August 2017|last2=Sweney|first2=Mark|issn=0261-3077|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823120009/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jul/01/senior-cross-party-mps-consider-holding-vote-on-murdochs-sky-takeover-bid|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref>

Following [[Tim Farron]]'s resignation as leader of the Liberal Democrats, Cable announced his candidacy in the subsequent [[2017 Liberal Democrats leadership election|leadership election]].<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40339334|title=Sir Vince Cable to run for Lib Dem leadership|date=20 June 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620113507/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40339334|archive-date=20 June 2017|work=BBC News}}</ref>

In July, he called for pro-EU MPs to support and "rally around" Chancellor [[Philip Hammond]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/42f9f748-6c83-11e7-b9c7-15af748b60d0|title=Pro-EU MPs should support Philip Hammond, says Vince Cable |website=Financial Times|date=20 July 2017 |access-date=23 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823115105/https://www.ft.com/content/42f9f748-6c83-11e7-b9c7-15af748b60d0|archive-date=23 August 2017|last1=Mance |first1=Henry |last2=Parker |first2=George }}</ref>

== Leader of the Liberal Democrats ==
On 20 July 2017, Cable became leader of the Liberal Democrats after facing no competition.<ref name=itvleader/> He was the oldest leader of a major UK political party since Sir [[Winston Churchill]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.sky.com/story/vince-cable-lib-dem-leader-economic-guru-and-romantic-novelist-10954630|title=Vince Cable: Challenges for new Lib Dem leader|work=Sky News|access-date=24 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720053310/http://news.sky.com/story/vince-cable-lib-dem-leader-economic-guru-and-romantic-novelist-10954630|archive-date=20 July 2017}}</ref>

===Policies===
In a manifesto released upon his ascent to leadership, Cable revealed his policy priorities as Liberal Democrat leader would include tackling inequality, improving public services, opposing [[Brexit]], electoral reform and young people.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.libdems.org.uk/vince-manifesto|title=Ambitious for our country; ambitious for our party - Vince Cable's Leadership Manifesto|date=20 July 2017|work=Liberal Democrats|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201075417/https://www.libdems.org.uk/vince-manifesto|archive-date=1 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Vince Cable at Brighton 2018.jpg|thumb|Cable addressing a Liberal Democrat fringe meeting in 2018]]
In late 2017 Cable revealed that he had become "more [[Economic interventionism|interventionist]]" economically due to experiences while in the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|Coalition]] government.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/vince-cable-interview-meet-ex-business-secretary-hoping-become-lib-dem-leader-1627184|title=Vince Cable interview: Meet the ex-business secretary hoping to become Lib Dem leader|last=Silvera|first=Ian|date=21 June 2017|work=International Business Times UK|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131200914/http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/vince-cable-interview-meet-ex-business-secretary-hoping-become-lib-dem-leader-1627184|archive-date=31 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Subsequently, Cable has called for the blocking of several foreign takeovers of UK companies in the [[High tech#Technology sectors|technology sector]], and for the reform of UK takeover laws in the form of the 'Cadbury Clause' that had been suggested by figures within the Conservative Party.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/vince-cable-warning-after-china-takeover-of-chip-designer-imagination-technologies-8mwrsm3cl|title=Vince Cable warning after China takeover of chip designer Imagination Technologies|last=Collingridge|first=Simon Duke and John|date=24 September 2017|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=31 January 2018|issn=0956-1382|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131200913/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/vince-cable-warning-after-china-takeover-of-chip-designer-imagination-technologies-8mwrsm3cl|archive-date=31 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jan/12/gkn-rejects-7bn-hostile-approach-melrose-vince-cable|title=GKN rejects £7bn hostile approach from rival Melrose|last=Fletcher|first=Nick|date=12 January 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130143654/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jan/12/gkn-rejects-7bn-hostile-approach-melrose-vince-cable|archive-date=30 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/cable-demands-tech-sector-defence-after-aveva-merger-11022177|title=Cable demands tech sector 'defence' after Aveva merger|work=Sky News|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131202356/https://news.sky.com/story/cable-demands-tech-sector-defence-after-aveva-merger-11022177|archive-date=31 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the leak of the [[Paradise Papers]], Cable commented that direct rule of [[Crown Dependencies]] should be threatened if substantial progress was not made in curbing aggressive tax avoidance.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/vince-cable-paradise-papers-overseas-territories-tax-practices-avoidance-offshore-accounts-money-a8043766.html|title=Vince Cable warns direct rule should be imposed if British overseas territories fail to tackle 'unacceptable' tax practices|date=8 November 2017|newspaper=The Independent|first=Lizzy|last=Buchan|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131202438/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/vince-cable-paradise-papers-overseas-territories-tax-practices-avoidance-offshore-accounts-money-a8043766.html|archive-date=31 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-08/u-k-should-threaten-direct-rule-over-tax-havens-cable-says|title=U.K. Should Threaten Direct Rule Over Tax Havens, Cable Says|date=8 November 2017|work=Bloomberg.com|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131200735/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-08/u-k-should-threaten-direct-rule-over-tax-havens-cable-says|archive-date=31 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2017 Cable echoed Foreign Secretary [[Boris Johnson]] in calling for greater taxation of foreign speculators in the housing market.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/ccf20b8c-9d31-11e7-8cd4-932067fbf946|title=Cable calls for 'fierce' tax on overseas purchase of UK property|website=Financial Times|date=19 September 2017|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131201319/https://www.ft.com/content/ccf20b8c-9d31-11e7-8cd4-932067fbf946|archive-date=31 January 2018|url-status=live|last1=Mance|first1=Henry}}</ref> He has also called for the reform of [[empty dwelling management order]]s.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/01/11000-homes-empty-longer-decade/|title=More than 11,000 homes empty for longer than a decade|last=Ward|first=Victoria|date=2018|work=The Telegraph|access-date=31 January 2018|issn=0307-1235|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201021711/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/01/11000-homes-empty-longer-decade/|archive-date=1 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In an 8 November 2017 pre-Budget speech at the [[City of London]], Cable announced the Liberal Democrats under his leadership would seek to revive the fiscal [[Golden Rule (fiscal policy)|Golden Rule]] of former Labour Chancellor Gordon Brown.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/liberal-democrats-would-resurrect-gordon-brown-s-golden-rule-gq22gvdkf|title=Liberal Democrats would resurrect Gordon Brown's 'golden rule'|last=Aldrick |first=Philip |date=8 November 2017|work=The Times|access-date=31 January 2018|issn=0140-0460|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131201207/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/liberal-democrats-would-resurrect-gordon-brown-s-golden-rule-gq22gvdkf|archive-date=31 January 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In early 2018, Cable's leadership saw former Conservative donors [[Peter Stringfellow|Peter J Stringfellow]] and [[Charlie Mullins]] switch and pledge their support to Cable and the Liberal Democrats over Brexit.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/news/93244/former-tory-donor-switches-funding-lib-dems-over-brexit|title=Former Tory donor switches to funding Lib Dems over Brexit|date=1 March 2018|work=PoliticsHome.com|first=Nicholas |last=Mairs|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418005450/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/news/93244/former-tory-donor-switches-funding-lib-dems-over-brexit|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/903839/Brexit-news-UK-Peter-Stringfellow-BBC-European-Union-EU-Conservative-Labour-Lib-Dem|title=Embarrassing moment Peter Stringfellow forgets name of EU he desperately wants to stay in|last=Barnes|first=Joe|date=12 January 2018|work=Express.co.uk|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201215218/https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/903839/Brexit-news-UK-Peter-Stringfellow-BBC-European-Union-EU-Conservative-Labour-Lib-Dem|archive-date=1 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On education, Cable has rejected cutting or abolishing university tuition fees. He has instead announced that he would seek to implement lifelong learning accounts which would serve as endowments to all young people to help pay for education or training at any future date, and suggested this endowment could range from £5,000 to £10,000 per head (the average university student debt in England is £50,800 upon graduation as of 2017),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-40493658|title=Student debts 'rise to more than £50,000'|last=Coughlan|first=Sean|date=5 July 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206054342/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-40493658|archive-date=6 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> costing around £10 billion a year. Cable claimed the policy could be funded from reform of capital gains, inheritance, and property taxes.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/21/building-houses-saving-nhs-budget-benefits-liberal-democrats-vince-cable|title=Building houses and saving the NHS: how Lib Dems would tackle this budget {{!}} Vince Cable|last=Cable|first=Vince|date=21 November 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201075214/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/21/building-houses-saving-nhs-budget-benefits-liberal-democrats-vince-cable|archive-date=1 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Also on education, he proposes to abolish the [[Ofsted]] inspectorate and reform school [[league tables]] to focus on pupil well-being rather than exam results because a “change in emphasis” is needed away from competition.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/vince-cable-builds-youth-army-to-fight-brexit-tbgtwh8rg|title=Vince Cable builds youth army to fight Brexit|last=Shipman|first=Tim|date=4 March 2018|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=10 March 2018|issn=0956-1382|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311095434/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/vince-cable-builds-youth-army-to-fight-brexit-tbgtwh8rg|archive-date=11 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/vince-cable-targets-are-infantilising-teachers|title=Vince Cable: Targets are 'infantilising' teachers|date=11 October 2017|work=Tes|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325231925/https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/vince-cable-targets-are-infantilising-teachers|archive-date=25 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He supported the February 2018 [[Universities Superannuation Scheme|USS]] strikes, calling for the government to underwrite lecturers' pensions,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/education/universities/news/93110/vince-cable-urges-govt-intervene-university-strikes|title=Vince Cable urges govt to intervene in university strikes|date=24 February 2018|work=PoliticsHome.com|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325233807/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/education/universities/news/93110/vince-cable-urges-govt-intervene-university-strikes|archive-date=25 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> while refusing to cross a [[Picketing|picket line]] at the [[Cass Business School]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/06/oxford-university-blocks-challenge-to-staff-pension-cuts-proposals-universities-strike|title=Oxford University blocks staff attempts to challenge pension cuts|last=Adams|first=Richard|date=6 March 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309185005/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/06/oxford-university-blocks-challenge-to-staff-pension-cuts-proposals-universities-strike|archive-date=9 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 22 March, Cable announced that at an earlier meeting of European liberal parties he had garnered the signed agreements of eight European [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group|ALDE]] Prime Ministers demanding another referendum on the terms of Britain's exit from the European Union. Shortly after, however, in contradiction to Cable's announcement ALDE issued a statement denying that there had been any joint agreement about backing another referendum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/mar/22/second-brexit-referendum-eight-eu-pms-deny-backing-liberal-democrats|title=Lib Dems embarrassed as EU leaders deny Brexit statement|last1=Elgot|first1=Jessica|last2=Stewart|first2=Heather|date=22 March 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418093027/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/mar/22/second-brexit-referendum-eight-eu-pms-deny-backing-liberal-democrats|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/03/22/one-third-eu-leaders-back-call-second-brexit-referendum/|title=Sir Vince Cable facing humiliation after EU leaders disown claim they backed calls for second Brexit referendum|last=Maidment|first=Jack|date=22 March 2018|work=The Telegraph|access-date=17 April 2018|issn=0307-1235|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418061736/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/03/22/one-third-eu-leaders-back-call-second-brexit-referendum/|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/93841/humiliation-vince-cable-eu-prime|title=Humiliation for Vince Cable as EU prime ministers deny backing second referendum|date=22 March 2018|work=PoliticsHome.com|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418005437/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/93841/humiliation-vince-cable-eu-prime|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June, Cable set out plans to create a state land-buying agency to [[Compulsory purchase in England and Wales|compulsorily purchase]] land at 40% below market value.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/26/lib-dems-vince-cable-land-buying-agency-to-boost-house-building|title=Lib Dems propose land-buying agency to boost house building|last=Walker|first=Peter|date=26 June 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=31 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101140140/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/26/lib-dems-vince-cable-land-buying-agency-to-boost-house-building|archive-date=1 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Cable also unveiled a proposal to develop a [[sovereign wealth fund]], totalling £100 billion of assets, to be paid for partly by a tax on gifts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cityam.com/263118/liberal-democrats-announce-plans-create-uks-first-sovereign|title=Liberal Democrats announce plans to create UK's first sovereign wealth fund|last=Ashworth|first=Louis|date=16 September 2018|access-date=31 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101095631/http://www.cityam.com/263118/liberal-democrats-announce-plans-create-uks-first-sovereign|archive-date=1 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://citywire.co.uk/new-model-adviser/news/lib-dems-wed-tax-lifetime-gifts-to-create-100bn-citizen-fund/a1155458|title=Lib Dems: we'd tax lifetime gifts to create £100bn 'citizen fund'|work=Citywire|access-date=31 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101095445/https://citywire.co.uk/new-model-adviser/news/lib-dems-wed-tax-lifetime-gifts-to-create-100bn-citizen-fund/a1155458|archive-date=1 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In response to both the 2017 and 2018 [[Budget of the United Kingdom|Autumn Budget announcements]], Cable called for a large increase in [[public service]]s spending and the end of austerity, attacking the Conservative government's 2018 Autumn Budget for failing to meet his demands on increased spending.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/theresa-may-end-austerity-final-say-peoples-vote-brexit-conservative-conference-income-tax-a8572751.html|title=If Theresa May truly wanted to end austerity, she'd give voters the option to stay in the EU|work=The Independent|access-date=30 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201135237/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/theresa-may-end-austerity-final-say-peoples-vote-brexit-conservative-conference-income-tax-a8572751.html|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/vince-cable-brexit-s-real-life-impacts-are-already-hitting-uk-hard-1-4823306|title=Vince Cable: Brexit's real-life impacts are already hitting UK hard|access-date=1 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201135211/https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/vince-cable-brexit-s-real-life-impacts-are-already-hitting-uk-hard-1-4823306|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":6" /> He criticised Labour for not voting against a package of Conservative tax cuts which included raising the personal income tax [[Personal allowance|allowance]] and higher rate [[income tax threshold]], money that he argued would be better used on reversing cuts to benefits.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/01/labour-mps-table-amendment-objecting-to-partys-tax-cut-stance|title=Labour MPs defy whips and McDonnell to vote against Tory tax cuts|last=Stewart|first=Heather|date=1 November 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=30 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202024618/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/01/labour-mps-table-amendment-objecting-to-partys-tax-cut-stance|archive-date=2 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.libdems.org.uk/lib-dems-lead-rebellion-against-tory-tax-cuts-for-higher-earners|title=Lib Dems lead rebellion against Tory tax cuts for higher earners|date=1 November 2018|work=Liberal Democrats|access-date=1 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201180825/https://www.libdems.org.uk/lib-dems-lead-rebellion-against-tory-tax-cuts-for-higher-earners|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Commentary===
[[File:Caroline Lucas and Vice Cable sharing a joke.jpg|thumb|257x257px|Cable as leader of the Liberal Democrats with Green MP [[Caroline Lucas]]]]
Electorally, Cable asserted that the Liberal Democrats under his leadership would win over substantial numbers of younger Labour voters "when the penny drops" about Labour's stance on Brexit, and that "young supporters will soon notice".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cityam.com/267270/vince-cable-penny-drops-labours-real-stance-brexit-young|title=Vince Cable: Young people will be disillusioned about Labour's Brexit views|last=Haslett|first=Emma|date=25 June 2017|access-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514065553/http://www.cityam.com/267270/vince-cable-penny-drops-labours-real-stance-brexit-young|archive-date=14 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/23/labour-young-voters-betray-brexit|title=Labour won over young voters. But it is betraying them on Brexit {{!}} Vince Cable|last=Cable|first=Vince|date=23 June 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420220924/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/23/labour-young-voters-betray-brexit|archive-date=20 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Aside from Brexit, he claimed that adopting and pitching policies like higher taxation of wealth would also help in winning over Labour voters.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/liberal-democrats-taxes-rise-rich-wealthy-inequality-corbyn-voters-vince-cable-a7931161.html|title=Lib Dems to commit to higher wealth taxes in bid to tackle inequality 'tearing' Britain apart|date=5 September 2017|work=The Independent|access-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514070545/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/liberal-democrats-taxes-rise-rich-wealthy-inequality-corbyn-voters-vince-cable-a7931161.html|archive-date=14 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web |date=22 July 2017 |title=Vince Cable plans wealth taxes to win back Labour voters |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/22/vince-cable-wealth-taxes-win-back-labour-voters |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723121157/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/22/vince-cable-wealth-taxes-win-back-labour-voters |archive-date=23 July 2017 |website=[[TheGuardian.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/emilyashton/vince-cable-reckons-he-can-win-over-jeremy-corbyns-young|title=Vince Cable Reckons He Can Win Over Jeremy Corbyn's Young Followers|work=BuzzFeed|access-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316190925/https://www.buzzfeed.com/emilyashton/vince-cable-reckons-he-can-win-over-jeremy-corbyns-young|archive-date=16 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite this, the Liberal Democrats under Cable's leadership drew observations from numerous political commentators such as Stephen Bush of ''[[New Statesman]]'' and [[John Rentoul]] of ''[[The Independent]]'' who noted that Liberal Democrat national polling had remained static even with significantly negative public perceptions of both the Labour and Conservative parties.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/lib-dems-vince-cable-jeremy-corbyn-labour-brexit-tuition-fees-a8181086.html|title=The Lib Dem 'stop Brexit' ship is sinking. Now, many of their supporters are flocking to Jeremy Corbyn|date=27 January 2018|work=The Independent|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310193634/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/lib-dems-vince-cable-jeremy-corbyn-labour-brexit-tuition-fees-a8181086.html|archive-date=10 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/elections/2018/02/why-are-liberal-democrats-doing-so-badly|title=Why are the Liberal Democrats doing so badly?|website=www.newstatesman.com|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203021825/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/elections/2018/02/why-are-liberal-democrats-doing-so-badly|archive-date=3 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/vince-cable-fails-to-spark-lib-dems-into-life-9207t9dsp|title=Vince Cable fails to spark Lib Dems into life|last=Fisher|first=Henry Zeffman, Lucy|date=27 December 2017|work=The Times|access-date=10 March 2018|issn=0140-0460|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514141611/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/vince-cable-fails-to-spark-lib-dems-into-life-9207t9dsp|archive-date=14 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/liberal-democrats-conference-local-elections-last-change-saloon-a8246191.html|title=The local elections are last chance saloon for the Lib Dems|date=8 March 2018|work=The Independent|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313150932/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/liberal-democrats-conference-local-elections-last-change-saloon-a8246191.html|archive-date=13 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/lib-dems-30-last-chance-strike-gold/|title=Lib Dems at 30: Last chance to strike gold?|date=4 March 2018|work=iNews|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514141419/https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/lib-dems-30-last-chance-strike-gold/|archive-date=14 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Rentoul, as well as politics historian [[Glen O'Hara]] pointed to traditional and once potential Liberal Democrat voters Cable might wish to target as now having become solidly Labour voters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/27/lib-dems-facing-fight-for-political-future-in-2018|title=Lib Dems 'facing fight for political future' in 2018|last=Elgot|first=Jessica|date=27 December 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318035434/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/27/lib-dems-facing-fight-for-political-future-in-2018|archive-date=18 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> ''[[The Times]]'' Red Box editor and columnist Matt Chorley, in assessing Cable's leadership, wrote how there was already a "grey-haired nasal leftie running an opposition party" (in reference to [[Jeremy Corbyn]]) and therefore Cable was not needed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-are-lib-dems-so-unpopular-ssgmj927b|title=Why are Lib Dems so unpopular?|last=Chorley|first=Matt |newspaper=[[The Times]]|date=9 March 2018|access-date=9 March 2018|issn=0140-0460|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309144137/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-are-lib-dems-so-unpopular-ssgmj927b|archive-date=9 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cable has received significant critical commentary surrounding his leadership of the Liberal Democrats in terms of policy proposals and stances. In particular, Cable's support for a [[Referendums related to the European Union|second referendum]] on membership of the European Union and his comment that older Brexit voters were driven by nostalgia were met with negative reactions from the likes of broadcaster [[Julia Hartley Brewer]], government Cabinet member [[Sajid Javid]], and others.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/news/93516/vince-cable-branded-offensive-and|title=Vince Cable branded 'offensive' and 'disrespectful' for 'white faces' comment|date=12 March 2018|work=PoliticsHome.com|access-date=16 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418040038/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/news/93516/vince-cable-branded-offensive-and|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cityam.com/282032/vince-cable-slammed-white-faces-brexit-slur|title=Cable slammed for "white faces" Brexit slur|last=Cahill|first=Helen|date=11 March 2018|access-date=16 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031649/http://www.cityam.com/282032/vince-cable-slammed-white-faces-brexit-slur|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://talkradio.co.uk/news/julia-hartley-brewer-clashes-sir-vince-cable-over-parliaments-ability-vote-down-brexit|title=Julia Hartley-Brewer clashes with Sir Vince Cable over Parliament's ability to vote down Brexit|access-date=16 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417192443/http://talkradio.co.uk/news/julia-hartley-brewer-clashes-sir-vince-cable-over-parliaments-ability-vote-down-brexit|archive-date=17 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/21/vince-cable-wants-vote-brexit-yet-knows-insulting-sounds/|title=Vince Cable wants you to vote again on Brexit – yet he knows how insulting he sounds|last=Bennett|first=Asa|date=21 July 2017|work=The Telegraph|access-date=16 April 2018|issn=0307-1235|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625232748/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/21/vince-cable-wants-vote-brexit-yet-knows-insulting-sounds/|archive-date=25 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cityam.com/272345/uk-business-recoils-vince-cables-suggestion-second-eu|title=UK business recoils at Vince Cable's suggestion of a second EU referendum|last=Cahill|first=Helen|date=19 September 2017|access-date=16 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031627/http://www.cityam.com/272345/uk-business-recoils-vince-cables-suggestion-second-eu|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/03/vince-cable-not-brexit-voters-is-the-one-stuck-in-the-past/|title=Vince Cable, not Brexit voters, is the one stuck in the past {{!}} Coffee House|date=12 March 2018|work=Coffee House|access-date=16 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312175436/https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/03/vince-cable-not-brexit-voters-is-the-one-stuck-in-the-past/|archive-date=12 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> However, some in the media have expressed agreement with Cable's position on Brexit.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/truth-is-the-first-casualty-of-vince-cables-speech-1-5440466|title=Letter: Truth is the first casualty in battle of Cable's speech|last=Thomas|first=Sarah|work=The New European|access-date=16 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031503/http://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/truth-is-the-first-casualty-of-vince-cables-speech-1-5440466|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/andrew-hawkins/brexit-polling_b_17696370.html|title=Did The Old Really 'Shaft' The Young Over Brexit?|date=7 August 2017|work=HuffPost UK|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031510/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/andrew-hawkins/brexit-polling_b_17696370.html|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/vince-cable-brexit-white-nigel-farage-nostalgia-lib-dem-ukip-immigration-racist-a8251966.html|title=Vince Cable is absolutely right about nostalgic Brexit voters, and people like Nigel Farage know it|date=12 March 2018|work=The Independent|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418043111/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/vince-cable-brexit-white-nigel-farage-nostalgia-lib-dem-ukip-immigration-racist-a8251966.html|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Other policy, such as punitive taxation of foreign housing investors was criticised by the [[Adam Smith Institute]] think tank.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.adamsmith.org/news/cable-housing-wrong|title=Vince Cable hits out at all the wrong targets on housing|work=Adam Smith Institute|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417192223/https://www.adamsmith.org/news/cable-housing-wrong|archive-date=17 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''[[Financial Times]]'' considered Cable to be part of a "coalition of anti-capitalists" due to his calls for foreign takeovers of British companies to be blocked,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/656fae20-1639-11e8-9e9c-25c814761640|title=Corbyn's hostility to takeovers would deny companies momentum|website=Financial Times|date=20 February 2018|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417192256/https://www.ft.com/content/656fae20-1639-11e8-9e9c-25c814761640|archive-date=17 April 2018|url-status=live|last1=Vincent|first1=Matthew}}</ref> and in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' his policies were likened unfavourably to those of the Labour Party.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/11/08/vince-cables-pitch-uk-plc-sensible-corbyn/|title=Vince Cable's pitch to UK plc: we're more sensible than Corbyn|last=Wallace|first=Tim|date=8 November 2017|work=The Telegraph|access-date=16 April 2018|issn=0307-1235|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417205026/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/11/08/vince-cables-pitch-uk-plc-sensible-corbyn/|archive-date=17 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Political journalist [[Andrew Rawnsley]] of ''[[The Observer]]'' was critical of Cable's general approach but conceded the possibility of Cable's anti-Brexit policy paying off eventually.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rawnsley|first=Andrew|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/16/has-vince-cable-been-smoking-too-many-hallucinogenic-drugs|title=Has Vince Cable been trying too many hallucinogenic drugs?|work=The Observer|date=16 September 2017|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418093108/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/16/has-vince-cable-been-smoking-too-many-hallucinogenic-drugs|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 7 September 2018, after suffering a minor stroke, Cable announced his intention to resign as leader of the Liberal Democrats. He initially said he would resign once Brexit has been resolved or stopped, and when his proposed party reforms had been accepted,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/07/vince-cable-step-down-lib-dem-leader-brexit-resolved-stopped|title=Vince Cable to step down 'after Brexit is resolved or stopped'|last=Walker|first=Peter|date=7 September 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=31 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101175529/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/07/vince-cable-step-down-lib-dem-leader-brexit-resolved-stopped|archive-date=1 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/vince-cable-will-resign-as-liberal-democrat-leader-2018-9|title=Vince Cable announces plans to resign as Liberal Democrat leader|work=Business Insider|access-date=31 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022014408/http://uk.businessinsider.com/vince-cable-will-resign-as-liberal-democrat-leader-2018-9|archive-date=22 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> but in March 2019, he said that he would resign in May 2019 after the local elections.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47577739 |title=Sir Vince Cable to quit as Lib Dem leader in May |date=14 March 2019 |access-date=20 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401021325/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47577739 |archive-date=1 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In the event, he presided over the best Lib Dem council elections for two decades, gaining 700 seats and 11 councils research. He adopted the slogan 'Bollocks to Brexit' in the June European elections when the Lib Dems won 16 seats with 20% of the popular vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/cable-defends-slogan-it-s-honest-it-s-what-a-lot-of-people-think-a4138076.html|title=Cable defends slogan: 'It's honest … it's what a lot of people think'|first=Kate|last=Proctor|date=9 May 2019|website=The Standard}}</ref> Following the [[2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom]], he confirmed on 24 May that he would stand down on 23 July 2019.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48403038  "Liberal Democrats start leadership contest", ''BBC News'', 24 May 2019] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190525023007/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48403038 |date=25 May 2019 }}. Retrieved 24 May 2019</ref>

==Views==
Cable has compared himself to centrist French President [[Emmanuel Macron]], saying that as Business Secretary he had worked with Macron (then an economy minister) personally and that they have a "very similar" approach. He believes his party should occupy the "vast middle ground", likening the political conditions of the UK with those of France.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40680626|title=Vince Cable: I can offer the same formula as Macron|date=21 July 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=24 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723055822/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40680626|archive-date=23 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/01/vince-cable-lib-dems-mimic-emmanuel-macron|title=Vince Cable: Lib Dems should emulate tactics of Emmanuel Macron|last1=Stewart|first1=Heather|date=1 July 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=24 July 2017|last2=Elgot|first2=Jessica|issn=0261-3077|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723135013/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/01/vince-cable-lib-dems-mimic-emmanuel-macron|archive-date=23 July 2017}}</ref> Cable asserts that there is an "appetite" for "middle-of-the-road politics" which he claims he can provide,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/18/vince-cable-likens-theresa-may-to-headteacher-barricaded-in-her-office|title=Vince Cable likens May to headteacher 'barricaded in her office'|last=Walker|first=Peter|date=18 September 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422062539/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/18/vince-cable-likens-theresa-may-to-headteacher-barricaded-in-her-office|archive-date=22 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and has decried what he sees as the mistreatment of “middle-of-the-road [[Brownite]] type” politicians like [[Tom Watson, Baron Watson of Wyre Forest|Tom Watson]] by the "hard left" within the Labour Party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.skygroup.sky/corporate/media-centre/articles/en-gb/sophy-ridge-on-sunday-interview-with-vince-cable-mp-liberal-democrat-leader-230717|title=Sky Corporate|website=Sky|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422034458/https://www.skygroup.sky/corporate/media-centre/articles/en-gb/sophy-ridge-on-sunday-interview-with-vince-cable-mp-liberal-democrat-leader-230717|archive-date=22 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

He is a supporter of the [[Social Liberal Forum]], a centre-left group within the Liberal Democrats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vincecable.org/about-us.html|title=Vince Cable|website=www.vincecable.org|access-date=31 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208152745/http://www.vincecable.org/about-us.html|archive-date=8 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/vince-cable-warns-nick-clegg-that-lib-dems-must-return-to-radical-party-roots-8527239.html|title=Vince Cable warns Nick Clegg that Lib Dems must return to 'radical'|work=The Independent|access-date=31 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101102436/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/vince-cable-warns-nick-clegg-that-lib-dems-must-return-to-radical-party-roots-8527239.html|archive-date=1 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jul/23/vince-cable-exposed-lib-dem-divide|title=Vince Cable has exposed the Liberal Democrat divide {{!}} Vernon Bogdanor|last=Bogdanor|first=Vernon|date=23 July 2012|work=The Guardian|access-date=1 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202030201/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jul/23/vince-cable-exposed-lib-dem-divide|archive-date=2 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Trade===
[[File:President of Burma (9299580892).jpg|thumb|Cable with Myanmar's President [[Thein Sein]] in London, July 2013]]
In office and in his writings he has consistently defended an open trading system and the liberalisation of trade globally, regionally (in the EU Single Market) and bilaterally. Working with [[Kenneth Clarke|Ken Clarke]], he supported the proposed [[Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership]] trade agreement (TTIP), saying in 2014 that "if you are a true believer in free trade then you want to trade more with the US." To critics such as trade unions he replied that he was "genuinely baffled" about their fears that TTIP would lead to the [[privatisation]] of the NHS, adding that TTIP had "nothing to do with allowing the Americans to interfere with our NHS".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/10/02/ttip-vince-cable-ukip_n_5914040.html|title=Cable Mocks Ukip For Opposing Controversial US-EU Trade Deal|date=2 October 2014|work=HuffPost UK|access-date=22 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223232302/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/10/02/ttip-vince-cable-ukip_n_5914040.html|archive-date=23 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ttip-vince-cables-response-to-ttip-no-public-benefits-but-major-costs/ttip-vince-cables-detailed-response-to-ttip-no-public-benefits-but-major-costs|title=TTIP: Vince Cable's detailed response to 'TTIP: no public benefits, but major costs' - GOV.UK|access-date=22 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223171306/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ttip-vince-cables-response-to-ttip-no-public-benefits-but-major-costs/ttip-vince-cables-detailed-response-to-ttip-no-public-benefits-but-major-costs|archive-date=23 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018, concerning the possibility of US-UK trade deal which might follow the United Kingdom's future exit from the European Union, Cable warned that a trade deal in such circumstances might involve agreeing to open up the NHS to private American healthcare firms. Cable claimed this was unlike TTIP in which public services were to remain protected and therefore he argued the UK should remain in the EU.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/vince-cable-best-way-protect-nhs-america-work-eu/|title=Vince Cable: the only way to protect the NHS from private US firms is to work with the EU|date=9 February 2018|work=iNews|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031848/https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/vince-cable-best-way-protect-nhs-america-work-eu/|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/pmqs-theresa-may-nhs_uk_5a7afd58e4b07af4e81fc180|title=Theresa May Refuses To Rule Out The NHS Being Part Of UK/US Trade Deal|date=7 February 2018|work=HuffPost UK|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031558/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/pmqs-theresa-may-nhs_uk_5a7afd58e4b07af4e81fc180|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Cable also warned that a post-Brexit trade deal with the US might lead to accepting lower standards in farming produce, less food being produced in the UK and less employment for farmers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2017/07/26/news/us-trade-deal-would-not-offset-potential-losses-of-hard-brexit--1093108/|title=US trade deal 'would not offset potential losses of hard Brexit'|last=Association|first=Elizabeth Arnold, Press|website=The Irish News|date=26 July 2017|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417192417/https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2017/07/26/news/us-trade-deal-would-not-offset-potential-losses-of-hard-brexit--1093108/|archive-date=17 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cable thinks free trade is not a [[zero-sum game]] and that it is mutually beneficial for nations, stating: "Countries are better off when they participate in specialisation, with consumers benefiting from greater choice, higher quality products, and lower prices."<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=http://www.cityam.com/283827/stop-sacrificing-free-trade-banging-protectionist-drum|title=Stop sacrificing free trade by banging the protectionist drum|last=Cable|first=Sir Vince|date=12 April 2018|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417191916/http://www.cityam.com/283827/stop-sacrificing-free-trade-banging-protectionist-drum|archive-date=17 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He has condemned British and American politicians such as [[Donald Trump]] who he claims exploit the "anger and fear" over potential job losses which may result from foreign trade competition.<ref name=":3" />

===Human rights===
[[File:Dr Robin Niblett, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Dr Vincent Cable MP (7420278560).jpg|thumb|Cable with Chatham House's Director [[Robin Niblett]] (left) and Myanmar's human rights activist [[Aung San Suu Kyi]]]]
In May 2018, Theresa May welcomed Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] to the United Kingdom for a three-day state visit. Erdoğan declared that the United Kingdom is "an ally and a strategic partner, but also a real friend."<ref>"[https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/president-erdogan-theresa-may-post-brexit-trade-turkey-a8351531.html Post-Brexit, the UK will need Turkey for trade – and Erdogan is using that to his advantage] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514214843/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/president-erdogan-theresa-may-post-brexit-trade-turkey-a8351531.html |date=14 May 2018 }}". ''The Independent.'' 14 May 2018.</ref> Cable denounced the visit, saying that "The UK has a strong, proud history of democracy and human rights, but our reputation on the world stage is in danger of being eroded by this Conservative government’s desire to woo world leaders like [Donald] Trump and Erdoğan. May’s administration appears to have substituted diplomacy for sycophancy in its pursuit of Brexit." Cable said that Erdoğan "is responsible for alarming [[2016–present purges in Turkey|oppression and violence]]."<ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/may/13/theresa-may-under-fire-human-rights-as-turkish-president-lands-in-uk Campaigners call for UK to act on rights as Turkish president arrives] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516162236/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/may/13/theresa-may-under-fire-human-rights-as-turkish-president-lands-in-uk |date=16 May 2018 }}". ''The Guardian.'' 13 May 2018.</ref>

In response to the murder of the Saudi opposition journalist [[Jamal Khashoggi]], Cable said: "This situation gets murkier and murkier. The Government should have already suspended arms export licences to Saudi Arabia given the outrages in Yemen. This reinforces the argument for loosening the bonds to the regime."<ref>{{cite news |title=Turkey 'will not allow cover-up' after Saudi Arabia claims Jamal Khashoggi died in 'fist fight' |url=http://www.itv.com/news/2018-10-20/jamal-khashoggi-dead-saudi-arabia-istanbul/ |work=ITV News |date=20 October 2018 |access-date=20 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020201847/https://www.itv.com/news/2018-10-20/jamal-khashoggi-dead-saudi-arabia-istanbul/ |archive-date=20 October 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Taxation and economy===
As an economist, Cable considers [[Adam Smith]] and [[John Maynard Keynes]] to be his heroes, recommending Smith's ''[[The Wealth of Nations]]'' and [[Robert Skidelsky]]’s ''Life of John Maynard Keynes'' to novice economists.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/my-london-vince-cable-6464942.html|title=My London: Vince Cable|work=Evening Standard|access-date=22 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823121312/https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/my-london-vince-cable-6464942.html|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thefreethinktank.com/interview-sir-vince-cable/|title=Interview with Sir Vince Cable – The Freethink Tank|date=24 February 2017|work=The Freethink Tank|access-date=22 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823133807/http://www.thefreethinktank.com/interview-sir-vince-cable/|archive-date=23 August 2017}}</ref>

He has been a proponent of greater [[capital spending]], or borrowing to invest, and has made the case for this several times during and after the 2010-2015 coalition government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/economics/economics/2013/03/after-cables-intervention-austerity-consensus-crumbling|title=Leader: After Cable's intervention, the austerity consensus is crumbling|website=www.newstatesman.com|access-date=1 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201135217/https://www.newstatesman.com/economics/economics/2013/03/after-cables-intervention-austerity-consensus-crumbling|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/mar/07/clegg-cable-borrowing-capital-investment|title=Clegg fails to back Cable's call for more borrowing to fund capital investment|last1=Wintour|first1=Patrick|last2=Watt|first2=Nicholas|date=7 March 2013|work=The Guardian|access-date=1 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202030159/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/mar/07/clegg-cable-borrowing-capital-investment|archive-date=2 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/sir-vince-cable-admits-regret-coalition-austerity-policies-may-have-led-to-brexit-vote-11499891|title=Sir Vince Cable admits 'regret' coalition austerity policies may have led to Brexit vote|work=Sky News|access-date=1 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201135227/https://news.sky.com/story/sir-vince-cable-admits-regret-coalition-austerity-policies-may-have-led-to-brexit-vote-11499891|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cable has called the [[demutualisation]] of [[building societies]] "one of the greatest acts of economic vandalism in modern times".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/jun/18/cable-laments-destruction-building-societies|title=Vince Cable laments destruction of building societies|first1=Jill|last1=Treanor|first2=Juliette|last2=Jowit|date=18 June 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810172219/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/jun/18/cable-laments-destruction-building-societies|archive-date=10 August 2017}}</ref>

Cable supports the continuation of the Liberal Democrat policy of a [[Hypothecated tax|hypothecated]] 1p rise in income tax to pay for improved health and social care,<ref name="BBC9/7/2017">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40547733 Brexit may never happen – Sir Vince Cable] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709104650/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40547733 |date=9 July 2017 }} ''[[BBC]]''</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39822306|title=Lib Dems pledge 1p income tax rise to fund NHS|last=Gallagher|first=James|date=6 May 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=22 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911184140/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39822306|archive-date=11 September 2017}}</ref> along with proposals for replacing national insurance taxes with a likewise hypothecated new NHS and social care tax .<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/92588/vince-cable-backs-new-nhs-and|title=Vince Cable backs new NHS and social care tax to replace National Insurance|date=5 February 2018|work=PoliticsHome.com|access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415210118/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/92588/vince-cable-backs-new-nhs-and|archive-date=15 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He has also voiced support for a [[wealth tax]] to raise £15 billion or the equivalent of “less than one-third of 1pc of household wealth, net of debt” which would be used to address "intergenerational inequality."<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cityam.com/275391/autumn-budget-2017-liberal-democrats-leader-vince-cable|title=Lib Dems "investigating" wealth tax to fund youth grant|last=Neilan|first=Catherine|date=8 November 2017|access-date=16 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418031511/http://www.cityam.com/275391/autumn-budget-2017-liberal-democrats-leader-vince-cable|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He is widely credited with introducing the idea of a [[mansion tax]] in 2009 based on applying a higher tax on properties worth over £1 million: in effect, a tax of 0.5% of the value. The idea has subsequently become the basis for proposals for rebanding.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/9030124/Vince-Cable-calls-for-mansion-tax-in-next-Budget.html|title=Vince Cable calls for mansion tax in next Budget|date=21 January 2012|website=The Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/sep/21/cable-1m-home-tax-lib-dems|title=Cable accused of planning 'unworkable' mansion tax|first=Andrew|last=Sparrow|date=21 September 2009|via=The Guardian}}</ref>

Cable has been critical of the [[National Living Wage]] (the UK system of minimum wage), arguing in 2015 that [[Small and medium-sized enterprises|smaller businesses]] would struggle to pay employees higher rates.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://businessadvice.co.uk/hr/employment-law/vince-cable-warns-small-firms-in-the-north-east-will-be-put-out-of-business-because-of-the-national-living-wage/|title=Vince Cable warns small firms in the North East will be put out of business because of the national living wage {{!}} Business Advice|date=12 October 2015|work=Business Advice|access-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107013435/http://businessadvice.co.uk/hr/employment-law/vince-cable-warns-small-firms-in-the-north-east-will-be-put-out-of-business-because-of-the-national-living-wage/|archive-date=7 November 2017}}</ref>

He has called for companies Google, [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], and Facebook to be broken up,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/19/cable-calls-for-tech-titans-google-facebook-and-amazon-to-be-broken-up|title=Vince Cable calls for break-up of Google, Facebook and Amazon|last=Stewart|first=Heather|date=19 April 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420165829/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/19/cable-calls-for-tech-titans-google-facebook-and-amazon-to-be-broken-up|archive-date=20 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16168474.Regulators_should_be_ready_to__break_up__tech_giants_like_Facebook__Amazon_and_Google/|title=Regulators should be ready to 'break up' tech giants like Facebook, Amazon and Google|website=HeraldScotland|date=19 April 2018 |access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421233312/http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16168474.Regulators_should_be_ready_to__break_up__tech_giants_like_Facebook__Amazon_and_Google/|archive-date=21 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and supports the introduction of a digital services tax on technology companies.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/10/29/hammond-unveils-digital-services-tax-make-tech-giants-pay-fair/|title=Hammond unveils digital services tax to raise £400 million a year|last1=Boland|first1=Hannah|date=29 October 2018|work=The Telegraph|access-date=1 November 2018|last2=Field|first2=Matthew|issn=0307-1235|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101032758/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/10/29/hammond-unveils-digital-services-tax-make-tech-giants-pay-fair/|archive-date=1 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===New party===
Cable has held differing views over time on the possibility of a new party emerging which could involve the Liberal Democrats. After the election of [[Jeremy Corbyn]] to the Labour leadership in 2015, Cable called on centre-left MPs from Labour and the Liberal Democrats to unite to prevent the Conservatives holding a “monopoly on power.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/sep/18/vince-cable-calls-for-labour-and-lib-dem-centre-left-mps-to-unite|title=Vince Cable calls for Labour and Lib Dem centre-left MPs to unite|last1=Mason|first1=Rowena|last2=Perraudin|first2=Frances|date=18 September 2015|work=The Guardian|access-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322084313/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/sep/18/vince-cable-calls-for-labour-and-lib-dem-centre-left-mps-to-unite|archive-date=22 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-09-20/cable-new-party-may-form-after-corbyns-labour-win/|title=Cable: New party may form after Corbyn's Labour win|work=ITV News|access-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415190938/http://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-09-20/cable-new-party-may-form-after-corbyns-labour-win/|archive-date=15 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tim-farron-rules-out-vince-cables-centre-left-party-idea-why-would-we-create-a-new-party-10510208.html|title=Tim Farron rules out Vince Cable's centre-left party idea|date=20 September 2015|work=The Independent|access-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415194001/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tim-farron-rules-out-vince-cables-centre-left-party-idea-why-would-we-create-a-new-party-10510208.html|archive-date=15 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He made a similar suggestion in the lead up to the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]], predicting a new party in the event of Labour undergoing electoral collapse.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/vince-cable-says-creation-of-new-political-party-may-depend-on-how-lib-dems-perform-at-the-election_uk_591990b5e4b00f308cf696c5|title=Vince Cable Says Creation Of New Party Depends On How Lib Dems Perform At The Election|date=16 May 2017|work=HuffPost UK|access-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218160756/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/vince-cable-says-creation-of-new-political-party-may-depend-on-how-lib-dems-perform-at-the-election_uk_591990b5e4b00f308cf696c5|archive-date=18 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/general-election-2017-new-centre-left-party-could-emerge-after-tory-landslide-sir-vince-cable-a3538951.html|title=New centre left party will emerge after Tory landslide|work=Evening Standard|access-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415193823/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/general-election-2017-new-centre-left-party-could-emerge-after-tory-landslide-sir-vince-cable-a3538951.html|archive-date=15 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> After becoming [[#Leader of the Liberal Democrats|leader]] of the Liberal Democrats, however, he rejected a proposal for a new anti-Brexit party by former government adviser James Chapman, insisting that anti-Brexit figures should join the Liberal Democrats instead.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15477426.Lib_Dems_dismiss_claims_Cable_supporting_creation_of_new_political_party/|title=Lib Dems dismiss claims Cable supporting creation of new political party|website=HeraldScotland|date=16 August 2017 |access-date=9 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415190754/http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15477426.Lib_Dems_dismiss_claims_Cable_supporting_creation_of_new_political_party/|archive-date=15 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://leftfootforward.org/2017/11/vince-cable-i-was-asked-to-lead-a-new-pro-remain-party-heres-why-i-said-no/|title=Vince Cable: I was asked to lead a new pro-Remain party. Here's why I said no {{!}} Left Foot Forward|website=leftfootforward.org|access-date=9 March 2018|date=15 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180221222304/https://leftfootforward.org/2017/11/vince-cable-i-was-asked-to-lead-a-new-pro-remain-party-heres-why-i-said-no/|archive-date=21 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Coalitions and electoral pacts ===
Cable has taken a sceptical approach to the question of potential coalitions with other parties since 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/vince-cable-lib-dems-brexit-referendum-coalition-labour-conservatives-2017-7|title=Vince Cable tells Business Insider: Britain may never leave the EU|work=Business Insider|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219223238/http://uk.businessinsider.com/vince-cable-lib-dems-brexit-referendum-coalition-labour-conservatives-2017-7|archive-date=19 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2018, he said that the Liberal Democrats would never form a coalition government with Labour led by [[Jeremy Corbyn]],<ref name="timesofisrael">{{cite news|url=http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/vince-cable-interview-jn/|title=Sir Vince Cable: Lib Dems won't prop up Corbyn|last=Mendel|first=Jack|date=4 April 2018|access-date=8 April 2018|publisher=Jewish News Online|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408211210/http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/vince-cable-interview-jn/|archive-date=8 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and previously opposed the idea in 2015 as well where he said working with Labour was "inconceivable" because of [[Jeremy Corbyn]]'s economic policies.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34305994|title=Farron offers a 'home' to Labour MPs|date=20 September 2015|work=BBC News|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110172016/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34305994|archive-date=10 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Cable claims he would not work with the Conservatives either, comparing a coalition with the Conservatives to "mating with a [[praying mantis]]" where "You get eaten at the end of it."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/07/vince-cable-theresa-may-s-tory-conference-speech-could-have-been-taken-out-mein|title=Vince Cable: Theresa May's Tory conference speech "could have been taken out of Mein Kampf"|website=www.newstatesman.com|date=5 July 2017|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422062319/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/07/vince-cable-theresa-may-s-tory-conference-speech-could-have-been-taken-out-mein|archive-date=22 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/21/vince-cable-will-not-agree-support-tory-government-like-mating/|title=Vince Cable will not agree to support Tory Government because it is like 'mating with a praying mantis'|last=Hope|first=Christopher|date=21 June 2017|work=The Telegraph|access-date=21 April 2018|issn=0307-1235|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422011059/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/21/vince-cable-will-not-agree-support-tory-government-like-mating/|archive-date=22 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Rather than a coalition or propping up a government, he would prefer to work on "issue-by-issue" instead.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/04/lib-dems-may-back-government-on-case-by-case-basis-say-sources|title=Lib Dems may back government on case-by-case basis, say sources|last=Elgot|first=Jessica|date=4 July 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422062208/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/04/lib-dems-may-back-government-on-case-by-case-basis-say-sources|archive-date=22 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Cable ruled out the idea of [[Electoral alliance|electoral pacts]] in mid-April during the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]] campaign.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/vince-cable-rule-out-liberal-democrat-labour-electoral-pact-general-election-8-june-conservatives-a7690341.html|title=Vince Cable rules out Lib Dem electoral pact with Labour|date=19 April 2017|work=The Independent|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421234016/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/vince-cable-rule-out-liberal-democrat-labour-electoral-pact-general-election-8-june-conservatives-a7690341.html|archive-date=21 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/89ac692e-05a0-3adb-8da3-6f81fe1f67d6|title=Vince Cable rules out Lib Dem-Labour electoral pact|date=19 April 2017|website=Financial Times|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421233149/https://www.ft.com/content/89ac692e-05a0-3adb-8da3-6f81fe1f67d6|archive-date=21 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> However, in early May, Cable was recorded suggesting that Liberal Democrat supporters vote for Labour candidates in certain seats where they could stop the Conservatives.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-2017-liberal-democrats-paper-candidates-constituencies-tactical-voting-vince-cable-a7724276.html|title=Lib Dems say candidates 'should back off' to help Labour defeat Tories|date=8 May 2017|work=The Independent|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421233749/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/general-election-2017-liberal-democrats-paper-candidates-constituencies-tactical-voting-vince-cable-a7724276.html|archive-date=21 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/85753/vince-cable-tells-lib-dem-voters|title=Vince Cable tells Lib Dem voters to consider backing Labour candidates|date=8 May 2017|work=PoliticsHome.com|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422063749/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/85753/vince-cable-tells-lib-dem-voters|archive-date=22 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/08/revealed-sir-vince-cable-urges-lib-dem-supporters-back-labour/|title=Revealed: Sir Vince Cable urges Lib Dem supporters to back Labour candidates in general election|last=Hughes|first=Laura|date=8 May 2017|work=The Telegraph|access-date=21 April 2018|issn=0307-1235|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511013850/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/08/revealed-sir-vince-cable-urges-lib-dem-supporters-back-labour/|archive-date=11 May 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/vince-cable-urges-lib-dem-10380732|title=Vince Cable secretly taped urging Lib Dem supporters to vote Labour|last=Bartlett|first=Nicola|date=8 May 2017|work=mirror|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422062127/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/vince-cable-urges-lib-dem-10380732|archive-date=22 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Responding to the story on [[LBC]] radio, Cable restated that he would not work with Labour and said that the Liberal Democrats had more "common ground" with the Conservatives under [[David Cameron]] than with Labour under [[Jeremy Corbyn]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/liberal-democrats-say-jeremy-corbyns-policies-are-completely-unacceptable-unlike-david-camerons-2017-5|title=Liberal Democrats say Jeremy Corbyn's policies are 'completely unacceptable' — unlike David Cameron's|work=Business Insider|access-date=23 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820174916/http://uk.businessinsider.com/liberal-democrats-say-jeremy-corbyns-policies-are-completely-unacceptable-unlike-david-camerons-2017-5|archive-date=20 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Shortly after, Cable was due to appear and speak at a [[Compass (think tank)|Compass]] event in support of a [[Progressive alliance (UK)#21st century|'progressive alliance]]' (a proposed electoral pact between the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]], the Liberal Democrats, and Labour) but backed out, stating it was "too late" for a progressive alliance because he couldn't work with Labour "in its current form."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/emilydugan/vince-cable-says-its-too-late-for-a-progressive-alliance-on|title=Vince Cable Says It's "Too Late" For A Progressive Alliance – On The Night He's Meant To Be Launching It|work=BuzzFeed|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421232707/https://www.buzzfeed.com/emilydugan/vince-cable-says-its-too-late-for-a-progressive-alliance-on|archive-date=21 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He had previously spoken at a progressive alliance event by Compass in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2016/07/budding-progressive-alliance-wants-take-back-brexit-heartlands|title=A budding progressive alliance wants to take back the Brexit heartlands|website=www.newstatesman.com|date=7 July 2016|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422062255/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2016/07/budding-progressive-alliance-wants-take-back-brexit-heartlands|archive-date=22 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Brexit===
{{Update|section|date=October 2021}}
In 2017, a year after the [[Brexit]] referendum, Cable believed Brexit might still never happen. He maintained that when people saw the economic costs they would turn against it and a cross-party coalition of opponents to Brexit might develop. Cable said, "the whole question of continued membership will once again arise" if people's living standards worsened and unemployment rose.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/09/brexit-may-never-happen-says-vince-cable-liberal-democrats|title=I'm beginning to think Brexit may never happen, says Vince Cable|first=Rowena |last=Mason |date=9 July 2017|newspaper=The Guardian|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710144330/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/09/brexit-may-never-happen-says-vince-cable-liberal-democrats|archive-date=10 July 2017}}</ref><ref name="BBC9/7/2017" />

Cable called for cross-border digital services and a single EU market for [[Netflix]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/digital-media/11355831/Vince-Cable-calls-for-single-EU-market-for-Netflix.html|title=Vince Cable calls for single EU market for Netflix|last=Williams|first=Christopher|journal=Daily Telegraph|date=2015|access-date=25 October 2017|issn=0307-1235|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025184954/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/digital-media/11355831/Vince-Cable-calls-for-single-EU-market-for-Netflix.html|archive-date=25 October 2017}}</ref>

On 23 June 2018 Cable appeared at the [[People's Vote]] march in London to mark the second anniversary of [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|the referendum to leave the European Union]].In his speech he said, "keep fighting, keep hoping, we will win."<ref>{{cite news | last = Staff writer | title = 'At least 100,000' march for vote on final Brexit deal | url = https://news.sky.com/story/live-thousands-marching-for-vote-on-final-brexit-deal-11414177 | work = [[Sky News]] | date = 23 June 2018 | access-date = 25 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180625185649/https://news.sky.com/story/live-thousands-marching-for-vote-on-final-brexit-deal-11414177 | archive-date = 25 June 2018 | url-status = live }}</ref>

Cable maintained it "beggars belief that the army and the police are now being asked to prepare for riots in the chaotic aftermath of a botched Brexit. (...)  For the 'true believers' - the fundamentalists - the costs of Brexit have always been irrelevant.  Years of economic pain justified by the erotic spasm of leaving the European Union.  Economic pain felt - of course - not by them by those least able to afford it. (...) [Theresa May] is dutifully delivering a policy she doesn't really believe in; failing in negotiations; losing public support; and all to appease a dwindling group of angry people in her party who will denounce her as a traitor, whatever she comes up with. (...) Our sympathy can only extend so far, while she puts the interests of the country second to the whims of the extremists in her party."<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45553411 "Sir Vince Cable: Brexit not inevitable and must be stopped"], BBC News. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918074223/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45553411 |date=18 September 2018 }} ''[[BBC]]''</ref>

===Tuition fees===
In 2017, Cable defended the [[Tuition fees in the United Kingdom|£9,000 per year university tuition fees cap]], claiming it would be "dangerous and stupid" and a "cheap populist gesture" to abolish tuition fees, adding that the "40% of students" who go to university should not be subsidised by the "60% who don't".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.sky.com/story/scrapping-tuition-fees-would-be-stupid-sir-vince-cable-10934161|title=Cable: Scrapping tuition fees would be stupid|work=Sky News|access-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702142844/http://news.sky.com/story/scrapping-tuition-fees-would-be-stupid-sir-vince-cable-10934161|archive-date=2 July 2017}}</ref> The comments were criticised on social media by figures on the left, while Conservative MP [[Jo Johnson]] voiced support for Cable's stance.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/michael-gove-vince-cable-anger-university-tuition-fees_uk_595a0b8be4b02734df334f0e|title=Michael Gove And Vince Cable Spark Anger By Defending University Tuition Fees|date=3 July 2017|work=HuffPost UK|first=Jasmin |last=Gray|access-date=13 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703133705/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/michael-gove-vince-cable-anger-university-tuition-fees_uk_595a0b8be4b02734df334f0e|archive-date=3 July 2017}}</ref>

===Housing===
On housing, he has backed building on [[Green belt (United Kingdom)|green belts]] as a solution to the housing crisis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/20/uk-double-number-new-homes-300000-vince-cable|title=UK needs to double number of new homes to 300,000 a year: Vince Cable|last=Wintour|first=Patrick|date=20 May 2014|work=The Guardian|access-date=17 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418093051/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/20/uk-double-number-new-homes-300000-vince-cable|archive-date=18 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He proposes allowing councils to levy up to a 500% council tax on [[Housing in the United Kingdom#Empty homes|empty homes]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/96314/vince-cable-empty-homes-should|title=Vince Cable: Empty homes should face 500% council tax bills|date=26 June 2018|work=PoliticsHome.com|access-date=1 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201135202/https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/liberal-democrats/vince-cable/news/96314/vince-cable-empty-homes-should|archive-date=1 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===The House of Lords===
In 2018, Cable wrote that he had opposed and still opposed the [[House of Lords]], the [[upper house]] of the [[British Parliament]], for being made up of unaccountable members. However, he expressed his appreciation for the Lords' "capacity to defeat and embarrass the government" over [[Brexit]] legislation, in which he argued the House of Lords were exercising more thorough oversight.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cable|first1=Vince|title=The House of Lords is leaping to the defence of UK democracy|url=https://www.ft.com/content/88ff8496-545a-11e8-84f4-43d65af59d43|access-date=12 May 2018|work=[[Financial Times]]|date=12 May 2018|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180513053745/https://www.ft.com/content/88ff8496-545a-11e8-84f4-43d65af59d43|archive-date=13 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Cable declined an offer to be seated in the House of Lords following the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wintour |first1=Patrick |title=Vince Cable among four senior Lib Dems to turn down Lords offer from Clegg |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/15/vince-cable-four-senior-lib-dems-lords-nick-clegg-peerage-politics |access-date=22 July 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=15 May 2015 }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Cable's first wife was Olympia Rebelo, a Kenyan from a [[Goan Roman Catholic]] background, whom he met "in the unromantic setting of a [[York]] mental hospital where we happened to be working as nurses during a summer holiday."<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Sunday Times]] |author=Vince Cable |title=Married to the multiculture |date=30 October 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Thorpe |first=Vanessa |date=18 January 2009 |title=Vince Cable tells of being disowned by father |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/jan/18/vince-cable-lib-dems |access-date=29 July 2022 |website=The Guardian }}</ref> They had three children together and she completed her PhD in history at [[Glasgow University]] in 1976.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[University of Glasgow]] DSpace Service |title=Brazilian presidential elections of the first Republic, 1889–1930 |year=1976 |last=Cable |first=Olympia |url=https://dspace.gla.ac.uk/handle/1905/293 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306024336/https://dspace.gla.ac.uk/handle/1905/293 |archive-date=6 March 2012 }}</ref> Olympia was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]]. After apparently successful treatment, the disease returned in the mid-1990s and before the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]]. She died shortly after the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]].

In 2004, he married Rachel Wenban Smith. When appearing on [[BBC Radio 4]]'s ''[[Desert Island Discs]]'' programme in January 2009, Cable revealed that he wears the wedding rings from both of his marriages.<ref name="Romantic">{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5537291.ece |title='Two rings' Cable is Mr Romantic |last=Brooks |first=Richard |date=18 January 2009 |work=The Sunday Times |access-date=19 January 2009 |location=London}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

A keen [[ballroom dance]]r, Cable long expressed his desire to appear on the BBC's hit television show ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]'';<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7121335.stm |title=Lib Dem Cable reveals dance dream |work=BBC News |date=30 November 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081229104018/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7121335.stm |archive-date=29 December 2008 }}</ref> he appeared on the Christmas 2010 edition of the show, partnered by [[Erin Boag]] and dancing the [[Foxtrot]]. He performed well and scored 36/40 from the judges, including a mark of 10/10 from head judge [[Len Goodman]]. Cable was the second politician to appear on the show, after former Conservative MP [[Ann Widdecombe]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11767413|title=Vince Cable to star in Christmas Strictly Come Dancing|work=BBC News|date=16 November 2010|access-date=16 November 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101116201214/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11767413|archive-date=16 November 2010}}</ref>

Cable is Patron of the homelessness charity SPEAR; Twickenham charities catering for mental illness amongst young people (Off the Record) and adults (Lunch at One); carers charities Crossroads Care<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://crossroadscarerk.org/patron-ambassadors/|title=Patron & Ambassadors &#124; Crossroads Care Richmond & Kingston|website=crossroadscarerk.org}}</ref> and Homelink; music therapy for those with learning difficulties (OKMT); and cancer patient support, the Mulberry Centre.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/15368141.homelessness-charity-spear-is-celebrating-30-years-of-changing-lives-in-richmond-this-summer/|title=A homelessness charity is celebrating 30 years of changing lives in Richmond this summer|date=23 June 2017|website=Richmond and Twickenham Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/11381435.vince-cable-shows-heart-backing-charity-shop-in-twickenham/|title=Vince Cable shows heart backing charity shop in Twickenham &#124; Richmond and Twickenham Times}}</ref>

Cable's eldest grandson is social activist and entrepreneur [[Ayrton Cable]].<ref name=Standard>{{cite web|title=Vince Cable's grandson, nine, screens his animal welfare film in Commons|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/vince-cables-grandson-nine-screens-his-animal-welfare-film-in-commons-8105834.html|website=[[London Evening Standard]]|first=Jonathan|last=Prynn|date=5 September 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526164256/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/vince-cables-grandson-nine-screens-his-animal-welfare-film-in-commons-8105834.html|archive-date=26 May 2015}}</ref>

==Honours==
* He was sworn in as a member of [[Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council]] in 2010 upon his appointment as [[Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy]] and [[President of the Board of Trade]] in the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|coalition government]]. This gave him the [[Honorific|Honorific Title]] "[[The Right Honourable]]" for life.
* In [[David Cameron]]’s [[2015 Dissolution Honours]], Cable was appointed a [[Knight Bachelor]] for political and public service.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=61359 |date=22 September 2015 |page=17615 |supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/arrise-sir-vince-vince-cable-knighted-at-palace-1-7633232 |title=Arrise Sir Vince – Vince Cable knighted at palace |newspaper=[[The Yorkshire Post]] |date=18 December 2015 |access-date=25 July 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160713130617/http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/arrise-sir-vince-vince-cable-knighted-at-palace-1-7633232 |archive-date=13 July 2016 }}</ref>
* Made a freeman of the City of London on January 15, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ciip.group.cam.ac.uk/events/babbage-lecture-sir-vince-cable/|title=[PAST] Babbage Forum Lecture - The Rt Hon Sir Vince Cable: The Return of Industrial Strategy|website=Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy}}</ref>

==Bibliography==
*''Partnership and Politics in a Divided Decade'' (with Rachel Smith; published by The Real Press, 2022 {{ISBN|9781912119257}}
*''How to be a Politician'' (Penguin/Random House, Ebury Press, 2022, {{ISBN|9781529149654}}
*''The Chinese Conundrum'' (Alma Books, 2021) {{ISBN|9781846884689}}
*''Money and Power: The World Leaders Who Changed Economics'' (Atlantic Books, 2021) {{ISBN|9781786495105}}
*''Open Arms'' (Corvus, 2017) {{ISBN|9781786491718}}
*''After the Storm: The World Economy and Britain's Economic Future'' (Atlantic Books, 2016) {{ISBN|9781782394495}}
*''Free Radical: A Memoir'' (Atlantic Books, 2009) {{ISBN|9781848870468}}
*''The Storm: The World Economic Crisis and What it Means'' (Atlantic Books, 2009) {{ISBN|1-84887-057-4}}
*''[[The Orange Book: Reclaiming Liberalism]]'' edited by [[David Laws]] and [[Paul Marshall (financier)|Paul Marshall]]; contributions by Vincent Cable and others (Profile Books, 2004) {{ISBN|1-86197-797-2}}
*''Regulating Modern Capitalism (Centre for Reform Papers)'' (Centre for Reform, 2002) {{ISBN|1-902622-36-7}}
*''Commerce (Liberal Democrat Consultation Papers)'' (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'' (Thomson Learning, 1999) {{ISBN|0-8264-6169-7}}
*''Preparing for EMU: A Liberal Democrat Response (Centre for Reform Papers)'' (Centre for Reform, 1999) {{ISBN|1-902622-06-5}}
*''China and India: Economic Reform and Global Integration'' (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: Identities in Crisis'' (Demos, 1994) {{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'' (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)'' (World Bank, 1984) {{ISBN|0-8213-0199-3}}
*''World Textile Trade and Production Trends'' Vincent Cable, Betsy Baker (Economist Intelligence Unit, 1983) {{ISBN|0-86218-084-8}}
*''Case Studies in Development Economics'' (Heinemann Educ., 1982) {{ISBN|0-435-33937-0}}
*''The Role of Handicrafts Exports: Problems and Prospects Based on Indian Experience (ODI Working Paper)'' (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'' (Commonwealth Secretariat, 1981) {{ISBN|0-85092-204-6}}
*''British Interests and Third World Development'' (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 425/8 Oct)'' Vincent Cable, Ivonia Rebelo (World Bank, 1980) {{ISBN|0-686-36204-7}}
*''World Textile Trade and Production'' (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'' (Economist Intelligence Unit, 1979) ISBN B0000EGG8M
*''Import Controls: The Case Against'' (Fabian Society, 1977) {{ISBN|0-7163-1335-9}}
*''Glasgow: Area of Need''. Essay in 'The Red Paper on Scotland' ed. [[Gordon Brown]]. Edinburgh 1975. {{ISBN|0-9501890-7-3}}
*''Glasgow's Motorways: a Technocratic Blight'' (New Society, 2 September. 1974)
*''Whither Kenyan Emigrants?'' (Fabian Society, 1969) {{ISBN|0-7163-2018-5}}

==See also==
*[[Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team]]
*[[Opposition to Brexit]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Vince Cable}}
{{Wikiquote}}
*[http://www.vincecable.org/ Vince Cable] official site
*[https://www.twitter.com/vincecable/ Vince Cable] Twitter profile
*[http://www.libdems.org.uk/people/vince-cable Vincent Cable MP] official Liberal Democrats profile
*[http://www.trlibdems.org.uk/ Twickenham and Richmond Liberal Democrats]
*{{UK MP links | parliament = sir-vince-cable/207 | hansard = dr-vincent-cable | hansardcurr = 2413 | guardian = 786/vincent-cable | publicwhip = Vincent_Cable | theywork = vincent_cable | record = Vince-Cable/Twickenham/1140 | bbc = 25665.stm | journalisted=vince-cable }}
*[http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00e54ee8dd9788330133f1fd0412970b Tracking Vince Cable (universities & research only)] at Research Fortnight
*{{C-SPAN|1000698}}

'''News articles'''
*[https://archive.today/20121224050516/http://www.thirdway.org.uk/editions/summer-2009/high-profile/gold-standard.aspx ''Gold standard?'']. ''[[Third Way Magazine]]'', 11 May 2009
*[http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2009/09/mehdi-hasan Vince Cable: Beneath the halo] ''[[New Statesman]]'', September 2009
*[http://howtomakeadifference.net/2009/01/vince-cable/ Profile of Cable (2009) by Fran Monks; How to Make a Difference]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130523052809/http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/c/18980/(John)%20Vincent%20(Vince)+CABLE.aspx ''Debrett's People of Today'']

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[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Liberal Democrats (UK)]]
[[Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Politicians from York]]
[[Category:Politics of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Board of Trade]]
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