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Sir Vince Cable is among 14 former MPs lined up as “Comeback Lib-Dems” to contest an early general election.

The ex-business secretary, 73, has been selected to stand again in his old seat of Twickenham if there is an election this year or in the first half of 2017.

“It would be right and well-advised for Theresa May to call an early election,” he said. “If that happens, I and my team are ready for it and we are confident we could reverse the verdict of just over a year ago.”

Former energy and climate change secretary Ed Davey has been chosen to contest Kingston and Surbiton and ex-justice minister Sir Simon Hughes to stand again in Bermondsey and Old Southwark.

As with Sir Vince, both lost their seats in the 2015 election. Party leader Tim Farron said: “We have got pretty much a full set [of candidates] across the country.”

He believes Mrs May should call a snap election as she “lacks a mandate” but he accepts there is not going to be one “very soon”, after she ruled it out.

“Obviously, she would have to repeal the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, which I would not support, or she would have to invoke some of the provisions within the act in order for there to be an early election, which I would,” he added.

Other former MPs selected for an early election are Julian Huppert in Cambridge, John Hemming in Birmingham Yardley, Mike Thornton in Eastleigh, Stephen Lloyd in Eastbourne, Stephen Williams in Bristol West, Martin Horwood in Cheltenham, Tessa Munt in Wells, Roger Williams in Brecon and Radnorshire, Gordon Birtwistle in Burnley, Mark Hunter in Cheadle, and Dan Rogerson in North Cornwall.