Mr Cable is nasty about Virgin and Northern Rock sharebuyers

Why does Mr Cable want to wreck any proposal to solve the Northern Rock crisis? Today he sought to belittle the Branson bid, telling people it was unlikely to go ahead. I won’t repeat what he said about the risks to the taxpayer as the statement was unacceptable. He also accused sharebuyers of being “spivs and sharks” and said he wanted to stop any shareholder, big or small being able to sell shares any more by suspending them in the market!

Mr Cable’s shrill interventions are not going to win the Lib Dems any friends amongst the business community, and will put off anyone who cares about the small shareholders, depositors and taxpayers caught up in the Northern Rock crisis. If Leader Clegg (or Huhne if there is a late swing) has any sense he will terminate Cable’s role as Treasury spokesman before he is allowed to do much more damage.