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UPDATE: Twickenham MP Vince Cable 'declared war' on media mogul Rupert Murdoch

4:00pm Tuesday 21st December 2010 in News By Paul Teed

Twickenham MP Vince Cable faced further embarrassment today after it was revealed he told undercover reporters he had “declared war” on media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

The Business Secretary insisted earlier today he would not quit after the Daily Telegraph reported that he claimed he could “bring the Government down”.

However, the BBC said this afternoon it had obtained edited extracts of his recorded conversation with reporters - posing as constituents - at his Twickenham office.

Dr Cable reportedly said: "I am picking my fights, some of which you may have seen, some of which you may haven't seen.

"And I don't know if you have been following what has been happening with the Murdoch press, where I have declared war on Mr Murdoch and I think we are going to win.”

The Business Secretary was said to have referred to Mr Murdoch’s £7.5bn takeover bid by his media conglomerate News Corporation for 61 per cent of British Sky Broadcasting.

He reportedly said during the interview with the undercover reporters: "I have blocked it using the powers that I have got and they are legal powers that I have got. I can't politicise it but from the people that know what is happening this is a big, big thing.

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"His whole empire is now under attack.”

Speaking about the earlier revelations, Dr Cable said he was “embarrassed” and he regretted making the comments.

Read the full digital edition of this week's Richmond and Twickenham Times - which will only be available online as an e-edition - right here on Christmas Eve.

Comments(11)

alex twickenham says...
5:30pm Tue 21 Dec 10

I see that Vince has now declared war on Rupert Murdoch - is that a fight he should be picking? At the very least it puts him in an impossible situation over the BSkyB share buyback decision What on earth does he think he's playing at? The calm reassuring voice of reason seems to be rapidly turning into a battle cry. For someone who claims to be picking fights sensibly he seems to be incredibly foolish or naive - I can't think which trait is worse in a Business Secretary. If he's so keen to leave government, why didn't he bow out with honour over the student tax hike rather than allow hubris to bring him down without honour - or was it yet another case of a mature politician bowled over by a pretty face?
Whatever - his position is hopelessly compromised and he should "step aside" immediately.
It's the headline story on Radio 4's PM right now - well worth listening to.
Alex

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Colin Gillman says...
8:01pm Tue 21 Dec 10

We need a younger man at the helm as ourTwickenham MP. Not this vein and foolish old buffer. It's time he stepped aside.

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Colin Gillman says...
8:30pm Tue 21 Dec 10

Or vain for that matter!

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Eyeball says...
12:07am Wed 22 Dec 10

Or a woman eh! "Colin"

Anyone lurking in the wings ? He should be totaly gone to seed in a couple of months and ready to go on the compost heap. With his FLIP FLOPS,
of course.

And to think, he thinks he is so important as to be able to bring down the government with a wave of his crown and a bye bye

Think on Vince

Regards, Eyeball

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Scott Naylor says...
12:21am Wed 22 Dec 10

You couldn't make it up could you? They say "A week in politics is a long time", in The Sage's case, it appears that a day in politics is a long time, in fact day after day? Doesn't this make you cast your mind back to Peter Mandelsson, whose misdemeanors and gaffs appear nothing in terms of speed of mistakes by this pre-election self-styling of "Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer"?

So is the latest style now Dr Has-Bean, rather than the taunt levelled at Gordon Brown, where he said has Gordon turned in a few weeks from Stalin to Mr Bean?

So first we have the students, where he cannot make up his mind where he stands despite his position of being The Business Minister, this being his policy; secondly we have his "war on the bankers", despite the fact that each large one typically brings profits of £billions to the Chancellor's coffers in our country to pay the country's bills, and now he is taking on B Sky B, a media tycoon, and indiscretely lets his real inner Left Wing thoughts be revealed 'in a moment of weakness' to two young and pretty Daily Telegraph reporters.

So the Telegraph is really delving.....

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jeremyhm says...
10:32am Wed 22 Dec 10

Cable's recent behaviour, and that of colleagues, shows they only joined a Coalition in order to get POWER, not necessarily to serve the people.
Voters who favoured the LibDems surely must realise by now that this party represents the Left Wing. Cable would be far happier back with red colleagues in Glasgow.
Ed Davey MP, a LibDem Minister in this Government and an MP representing a constituency not a million miles away from Twickenham, made an interesting comment on the changes in child allowance, viz "I will lose £1000". And that from a man earning probably over £80K (from us).
Can we have a comment from a LibDem voter?

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tim_lennon says...
5:09pm Thu 23 Dec 10

Ed Davey earns the same as any other MP in his position. We pay MPs because one shouldn't have to have independent means to play a part in political life. So Davey pointing out that he's losing £1k is unsurprising at best.

I'd have more time for the anti-Vince whining if you talked about his record at Shell, and his seeming inability to take a position on the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa. Instead, there's a tide of ageist drivel.

The LibDem manifesto has leaned left for years, so it's really hard to see what jeremy's complaint is, here ...

Still lets look forward to Jeremy Hunt providing the other side with an opportunity to sue when he's made a News International decision, eh?

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alex twickenham says...
10:49pm Thu 23 Dec 10

I sometimes wonder why these people bother - GCrozier, a failed LibDem candidate who posts elsewhere and Tim underscore Lennon who, posts here, somewhat petulantly, about "ageist drivel". He recently castigated me for "banging on about Vince". Looks as though I was right doesn't it.? He goes on to say "I'd have more time for the anti-Vince whining if you talked about his record at Shell, and his seeming inability to take a position on the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa. Instead, there's a tide of ageist drivel". What an extraordinary statement from a supporter - I suspect it needs closer scrutiny, which it will get.
GCrozier, a party apparatchic eulogises about Vince - "Keep up the good work Vince!" etc. Eugh!

I'm much more interested in "kalokagathia's" post elsewhere on this subject - I suspect that a bit of serious sleuthing is in order - here it is again if you haven't already spotted it.

"The hypocrisy of this man is breathtaking:
"You do expect people to behave in a trustworthy way"
Is that right Vince? So what was your response last year when a disgruntled ex-Barclays employee sent you stolen and highly confidential documentation?
Recall that you decided the appropriate response was not to notify the bank and/or the police of the theft so that due legal process could be followed. Rather, you sent the documents straight to a major national newspaper (leading of course to the Guardian subsequently being slapped down by Mr Justice Blake for what was obviously a completely illegal disclosure of confidential information).
Can't have it both ways can you..?"

I didn't know about this - did anyone else?
Alex

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tim_lennon says...
10:49am Fri 24 Dec 10

So why do *you* bother Alex? (Good cut'n'paste from elsewhere, by the way: such eloquence should be spread, like dog faeces on a busy pavement ...)

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alex twickenham says...
6:15pm Fri 24 Dec 10

This is the quality of response which I get from Tim_Lennon - I've clearly incensed him which is rather sad but proves my point about so-called LibDem attack dogs waiting to pounce. As to anonymity, I think I will hang on to that. After all, judging by these posts you never know what ordure might come through your letter box do you? As to eloquence? - I think, on balance that I will stick to my writing style. I find Tim's style rather antagonistically unpleasant. In the interests of other readers, I will not respond to any more of his intemperate posts but will continue to challenge Vince Cable. I note that Tim fails to make any reference to the post about the confidential BP info allegedly leaked to the Guardian by Vince and promptly suppressed - strange that, isn't it? Here are his most recent posts - judge for yourselves:

1. "So why do *you* bother Alex? (Good cut'n'paste from elsewhere, by the way: such eloquence should be spread, like dog faeces on a busy pavement ...)"
2. "Woof, woof, Alex. Enjoying the anonymity of the internet? I'm very much looking forward to your further investigation on the late Mr. Saro-Wiwa, but can't say I'm holding my breath. To be honest, these comment threads might be more used if you could offer something more than re-posting what others have said, don't you think?"

I look forward to some temperate original thoughts from Mr Lennon - it will make a pleasant change
Alex

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tim_lennon says...
9:22pm Fri 24 Dec 10

Happy Christmas, Alex. (Hope that's not so intemperate that you ignore it ...)

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