Vince Cable says Lib Dems shouldn’t field candidates against Independent Group He is suggesting a partnership but not a merger

The Liberal Democrats would not field candidates against any Independent Group MPs who trigger by-elections in their constituencies, Sir Vince Cable has indicated.

“We don’t see these people as enemies or a threat” Vince Cable The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription.

He called for his party to form a “partnership” with the new grouping both in Westminster and in the country. But he firmly ruled out any attempt at a merger as he insisted that the Liberal Democrats would not be eclipsed by the dramatic shake-up in the Commons.

The 11 former Labour and Tory MPs have so far rebuffed calls for them to force contests in their new colours, but the Liberal Democrat leader said it would be foolish for his party to field candidates if they changed their minds.

“We would have to consider our position and it depends how they react to us,” he said in an interview with i.

“But it wouldn’t make a great deal of sense to be at each other’s throats when we have the Tory Party increasingly under the control of the militant right and the Labour Party under the control of the Corbynites.”

Independents vs Lib Dems

Sir Vince maintained that he did not feel snubbed by the refusal of any of the 11 defectors to move to the Lib Dem benches.

“The important thing is that we find ways of working together because our first-past-the-post system would not accommodate two parties with a rather similar outlook in the middle of the political spectrum fighting each other,” he said.

“Going out of our way to fight them would be pointless.”

Dismissing suggestions that the new grouping could overshadow the Lib Dems, he said the Independents were yet to develop a structure or policy platform.

“We’re a real party with a real identity and a real structure. Whereas the new group – and they are admirable people and this is not in any way a criticism – are just a group of MPs.”

The Lib Dem leader called for “some form of joint working in Parliament” and for a “dialogue” with centre ground activists across the country.

“[We should] make it very clear we don’t see these people as enemies or a threat but are people we want to work with.”

However, his offer of co-operation received a chilly response from one former Labour MP who had defected to the Independents.

“When we say the political system is broken we are not just talking about the Labour and Tory parties. That applies to the Liberal Democrats just as much,” the MP said.

Good days to come

After two disastrous general election results for the Liberal Democrats, Sir Vince Cable claimed his party was turning the corner.

He told i: “A lot of the negativity we experienced in 2015 and 2017 has gone and the disenchantment with the Tories and Labour is deeper and this new movement may well accelerate that.”

Sir Vince forecast that the party would prove it was rebuilding by making steady gains in English local council elections in May.

He cited a poll showing his stance on Brexit was more popular than the Labour leader’s among voters aged 18 to 34 as evidence of its recovery.

“This myth has grown that he was the Pied Piper leading the youth of Britain,” Sir Vince said.

“Our Brexit position has been particularly attractive to that age group and the level of disillusionment with him over that issue is much deeper than Labour realise.”

He argued that it was crucial for the Commons to block any prospect of a no-deal departure from the European Union in Brexit votes next week.