‘Deniable’ post-election deal talks with Labour will be happening, former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable says
The Liberal Democrats and Labour will be having “serious, but deniable” conversations about what to do after the next election, according to Sir Vince Cable.
Sir Vince led the Liberal Democrats between 2017 and 2019, and was also business secretary during the coalition years at the start of the last decade.
He was writing after Sir Keir Starmer refused to rule out doing a deal with the Lib Dems seven times when talking to Sky News political editor Beth Rigby on Tuesday.
Writing for Comment Central, Sir Vince, 80, said a deal should be contingent on electoral reform – much like the deal between his party and David Cameron in 2010 led to the 2011 referendum which unsuccessfully tried to alter the first past the post system currently used for general elections.
Archbishop of Canterbury to ‘condemn small boats law’ in Lords – politics latest
Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday after a bumper result in the local elections, Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper also refused to rule out a deal with Labour after the next national vote – expected next year.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Starmer refuses to rule out Lib Dem deal
Writing for Comment Central, Sir Vince noted that vote share predictions mean Labour could fall short of a majority.
He said: “You can be sure that serious, but deniable, conversations will be taking place over the next year.
“[Current Lib Dem leader] Ed Davey is right not to rule out a coalition with Labour, but it is highly unlikely that the Lib Dems would go into such an arrangement this side of electoral reform being delivered.
“A looser ‘confidence and supply’ arrangement is much more plausible, depending on how the numbers look after an election and subject to agreement on reform of the voting system.”
A confidence and supply agreement is the type of deal Theresa May did with the DUP in 2017 to form a government, although she was hamstrung in parliament due to rebellious backbenchers.
Read more:
Local election results in full
Beth Rigby: Starmer is desperate for a majority – but knows he may fall short
Thrasher: Labour majority at general election by no means certain
Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts
Pat McFadden, Labour’s shadow secretary to the Treasury, was asked this morning about the prospect of a deal with the Liberal Democrats.
He told Sky News that pre-empting the results of an election would be “arrogant” and that he was hoping Labour would win more than one majority in a row as “it’s going to take a long time to turn the country around” after 13 years of Conservative rule.
A woman who was stabbed to death in north London has been named by police – as a man was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Pamela Munro, 45, was found with a stab wound and died at the scene in Ayley Croft, Enfield, on Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police said.
A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday and is in custody, the force added.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: “Investigating officers have worked relentlessly across the weekend to investigate the circumstances around Pamela’s death.
“We continue to support her family who are understandably devastated.”
Police at the scene at Ayley Croft in Enfield
Read more from Sky News:
Fresh appeal over student’s murder
100 firefighters battle flats blaze
The Met Police has asked anyone with information or who was driving through Ayley Court between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday and may have dashcam footage to contact the force.
A “British man” has died after being beaten and set on fire by a mob in Ecuador, according to reports by media in the South American country.
According to reports, the man – who has not been officially identified – had been detained by police after being accused of being involved in a fatal shooting.
Ecuadorian news outlet Ecuavisa reported that the man had been taken to a police station Playas del Cuyabeno, a remote village in the Amazon rainforest.
While there, a group broke into the station and took the man away. He was then set on fire in the street, it is reported, and died from his burns.
The incident reportedly happened in the Playas del Cuyabeno area of Sucumbios province
Another local report, from EXTRA.ec, said that specialist police units had been slow to arrive due to the geographical conditions of the area – which is accessible by river.
Read more from Sky News:
IDF finds ‘failings’ over attack on aid workers
Pope blesses Easter crowds from popemobile
According to reports, police officers at the station apparently decided they could not intervene when the mob arrived out of concerns for their own safety.
It is understood the UK Foreign Office is following up reports about the incident and working with local authorities to confirm the details.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway