THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, has reignited the war of words between the coalition partners by calling the Conservatives "ruthless, calculating and thoroughly tribal."Mr Cable said the coalition would continue in a more "businesslike" format in the wake of the Lib Deb drubbing in local council polls and the large-scale defeat of the "Yes" campaign in the referendum on the Alternative Vote (AV) system back[ed] by almost all his party.
However, his choice of words was unlikely to do anything to smooth relations around the Cabinet table. He also described the Conservatives as "not our natural bedfellows."
As the Lib Dem rhetoric intensified, Norman Baker, the transport minister, said Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, had been "let down" by David Cameron.
There was no sense that any Lib Dem minister would break ranks, either by resigning or suggesting Mr Clegg should quit as party leader, despite the scale of the party's defeat.
Leading Lib Dems were more concerned to blame Conservative tactics in targeting Mr Clegg during the AV referendum campaign.
Mr Cable made clear that Liberal Democrats would not accept policies which go beyond last year's coalition agreement with Tories - such as controversial proposals for NHS reform.
Mr Cable told Radio 4's Today programme: "Some of us never had many illusions about the Conservatives, but they have emerged as ruthless, calculating and thoroughly tribal. » | Patrick Hennessy, Political Editor | Saturday, May 07, 2011
BBC: Vote 2011: Tories ruthless and calculating, says Cable – Vince Cable has attacked the Lib Dems' Tory coalition partners as "ruthless, calculating and very tribal" but insisted their alliance would continue. » | Saturday, May 07, 2011
