Outgoing Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable has sought to play down the potential threat posed to his party by a breakaway group of MPs in parliament.

While he acknowledged that the policies of The Independent Group (TIG) "could have been cut and pasted from ours", he pointed out that it offered nothing yet beyond Westminster and was "very exposed to a wipeout in an early election".

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But speaking at the Lib Dem spring conference in York, the former coalition cabinet minister highlighted the opportunities to work with the fledgling alliance - made up of disaffected MPs from the two main parties - "to take on the decaying and dysfunctional party machines which have dominated British politics for far too long".

Image: The outgoing Lib Dem leader has highlighted the opportunity to work with TIG

Sir Vince also told activists that the local elections in May, after which he will stand down, would offer the chance to shake off the legacy of the coalition era.


He argued the party could move forward in "leaps and bounds" by taking advantage of the divisions with the Tories and Labour.

Sir Vince told supporters: "This year's local elections must be the place where we finally shake off the setback of two damaging general elections, and regain confidence, building on the advances of the last year. We can and will.

"The environment in which we do so has now changed. We are seeing early signs of some realignment. The breakaway group of independent MPs is a sign of that.

"I have been very clear that we must welcome a realignment of British politics and the opportunities it presents.

"I have also been very clear that we should offer the hand of friendship to those who want to work with us rather than against us."

The formation of TIG, which is holding talks with a view to becoming an established party, could cause a headache for the Lib Dems by competing for similar voters.

While acknowledging most of the group's policy statements "could have been cut and pasted from ours", he added: "But these are early days.

"The new group has a following wind from people who are curious about something new, and who admire their decision to break with their parties. But there is nothing yet beyond Westminster.

"There's no local infrastructure. There's no local base.

"They are very exposed to a wipeout in an early election. We aren't. "

Referring to former leader Tim Farron's description of the party as "cockroaches" which would survive a nuclear war, Sir Vince said: "I think we can do more than survive.

"We can do much more and much better by working with them and with others who share our values to take on the decaying and dysfunctional party machines which have dominated British politics for far too long.

"If, as I sense, the two old, tired and increasingly discredited major parties are to fracture, we shall move forward not in small steps, but in leaps and bounds."

On Brexit, where the Lib Dems have strongly backed a second referendum to overturn the Leave vote, Sir Vince said: "I remain astounded that some people claim a new referendum would be undemocratic.

"What is democracy if it is not the right for a country to change its mind?"