Andrew Marr interviews Vince Cable (Twickenham & Richmond Liberal Democrats)

Andrew Marr interviews Vince Cable

March 7, 2010 6:19 PM

cable • [Mar 06] Vince Cable: ' . . I THINK we could work with other parties. Why not? I think the public expect us to be grown up and businesslike, and that's how we would approach this . . '

' . . AM: Right, okay. Let's turn to politics generally. Nick Clegg on this programme said that the Liberal Democrats, if there wasn't a decisive outcome to the General Election, would support the party with the greatest mandate. Do you understand what that means? Are we talking about the party with the most votes or are we talking about the party with the most seats, or what?

VC: Well I don't think it's helpful or necessary to spell out precisely what that means. I mean there are all kind of combinations that could arise.

AM: Well it's kind of important, isn't it, to know you know what the Liberal Democrats would do in those circumstances?

VC: I think it's important for the public to know what broad approach we would take to the country. And as I said earlier on, the outcome of the election would be in a very difficult economic situation. We would act in a financially responsible way. We've made that very clear through our policies. Now whoever we talk to, you know however the situation evolves, that's a secondary issue. And it's not for us to choose. I mean you know after all, it's the public …

AM: (over) Sure, but you would work with the party with the biggest mandate, whether it's MPs or votes?

VC: Well they may wish to work with each other, as has happened in Germany. All parties might wish to work together. And let's not forget, I think the public mood …

AM: (over) Slightly difficult to see.

VC: … the public mood I think is very much for politicians working together rather than doing tribal politics …

AM: Right.

VC: … and that may be the big driver in this election.

AM: The impression that I've got, and I may be wrong about this, is that the Liberal Democrats would not seek to make a formal alliance either with the Labour Party if it was going down in public esteem or with the Conservatives because of your traditional differences with them - Europe and so on - but would support, would stand back and let a minority government, if that was the situation, do their best. Is that true?

VC: Well we're not ruling things out. I mean you know parties …

AM: So you could make alliances with other parties?

VC: Anything is possible. Parties can work together in different ways. And as I said a few moments ago, I think it may well be … I think it is the case that the public are really rather fed up with very narrow, short-term tribal politics and they want to see politicians rising above that - and particularly as they sense we're in an economic crisis - and we'll do our part in that.

AM: Could you sit in a Cabinet with either of the other two parties?

VC: Not as an individual. I mean I'm part of the Liberal Democrats …

AM: (over) No, no, as a Liberal Democrat.

VC: I think we could work with other parties. Why not? I think the public expect us to be grown up and businesslike, and that's how we would approach this . . '

Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats: