TUC cancels Vince Cable's invitation to be guest speaker

By Andy McSmith

Friday, 30 July 2010

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His speech looked set to be as brutally received as Patricia Hewitt's in 2006, when she was forced to abandon her address to the Royal College of Nurses conference.

But the trade union leaders who made the high-risk decision to invite Vince Cable to their annual conference have suddenly got cold feet and cancelled the invitation.

Had the Business Secretary spoken at the TUC annual conference in Manchester it would have been the first time union delegates had listened there to any Cabinet minister other than a Labour one. The only Liberal Democrat ever to address the conference was Charles Kennedy, in 2002.

The idea of inviting Mr Cable as guest speaker was part of a drive by the TUC's pragmatic General Secretary, Brendan Barber, to deal with the coalition government through negotiation rather than confrontation.

But leaders of individual unions objected, and there was speculation that left-wing delegates would walk out or stage demonstrations.

Mr Barber had originally planned to have David Cameron on stage as the first Tory Prime Minister in history to address the TUC. But he turned down the invitation as it coincided with his planned paternity leave for his fourth child, who is due to be born in September.

The idea was denounced as a "Grade A mistake" by the railway union leader, Bob Crow, who wants the unions to work out a campaign against the Government's planned cuts in public services "rather than having a lecture on fiscal fascism forced down our throats".

But TUC leaders insisted yesterday that Mr Barber and his deputy, Frances O'Grady, will meet Mr Cable privately in the autumn. Mr Cable's office said he was "relaxed" about the withdrawal of the invitation to speak at the conference.

Thunorson

Your further posting has just been brought to my attention, "CreamOnTop". So, I must quickly add that it is regrettable that you thought I was patronising you for, sincerely, such was certainly not my intention.
s0crat3s

Vince Cable's philosophical approach to politics has, in my view, made him the shining light in an otherwise very dark room.

Would someone please explain to me why he has suddently become the hunted. Any examples that are not supported by fact will be dismissed as party politics or worse and ignored. And, I have no problem if having gained access to information previously unavailable to him he has reflected and changed his view, I would expect that from a man who has proved to be honest, pragmatic and intelligent. I also accept that he now has a team-role portfolio for which he is expected to support and defend. BTW I do not agree with all of his political views - but that does in any way lessen my respect for him.
Nickscribe

Read what I've written, GW74 I'm saying that St Vince is actually DOING his job, IN Government, NOW. Surely Government is what you Lib Dems have coveted all these years, isn't it? Now he's in office he can talk sense as much as he likes. But if he's found that the actual FACTS don't fit his rhetoric, then all that remains is having to face those facts and do what's necessary. Which, of course, is what Mr Cable is having to do now.
brazierdv

Any organisation that wants to have credibility when it comes to discussion on matters of public policy should be prepared to listen to the government leaders elected by the public. But it seems that they they only want to invite those they agree with.

"left-wing delegates would walk out ". How childish.

The TUC sounds like it is in a 1930s time-warp.
GW74

if by "carp" and "bleat" you mean "talk" and "sense" then I agree. otherwise your weasel-worded denigration of Vince Cable for doing his job is pure drivel.
GW74

dear oh dear TUC. the words toys and pram spring to mind. union politics has revealed itself to be deeply childish. then again it always was, being defined as it is by the lowest common denominator intelligence of the brutish masses. I will never, never, ever forget Bob Crow's preformance on Have I Got News For You, in which he did a (lame) joke about Katie Price and Peter Andre, not in irony, but as if it were the centre not only of his cultural world, but he assumed all of ours as well. It was simply jaw-dropping.
Nickscribe

Reality Check #1: Maybe St Vince of Itoldyouso has realised the simple truth: When you are in Government it's not as easy when you're outside and can carp and bleat about "what the Government should do" to your heart's content. Now he's IN Government he's seen the harsh reality of the complete and utter mess Labour have left the country in and the necessity to take tough action and make hard, unpopular decisions. I'm sure Vince won't be too broken hearted because a few left-wing trades union barons don't want to hear the facts. It'll free up his calendar to concentrate on managing the ecomony and being part of the team (a loose term I admit) who actually govern the country. Reality check #2: The Unions do NOT run the country and haven't done since 1979.
CreamOnTop

I can understand why TU leaders are so disgusted at someone who is part of a Govt that is moving to end the folly in Afghanistan, has not yet killed thousands of patients in a rush for foundation status or failing to clean, releases innocent children from detention, cancelled 3rd runway, is not yet as complicit in rendition and torture, has not joined any wars yet etc. They clearly oppose all that and will cheer its proponents to the rafters.

The TUC are a joke. Most unions are milked for funds by Labour and get nothing in return - except for expensive lunches and lip service to the General secretaries and other fag ends. Indeed the quickest way to get frozen out and suspended by your union is to suggest breaking the link with Labour. The leaders of the unions are like Britain and its so called independent Nuclear deterrent hanging on to get invited to top table meetings - at least when Labour is in power. Not for any reason or result but the sniff of supposed power.

Look at the BA strike despite having his 'rsehole paid by the Unite Union [Whelan] Brown and the ludicrous Lord Adonis still crapped on them. 12000 members terms and conditions downgraded with a Labour stamp and the employer supported in adding humiliation on top.

This kind of stuff just makes the Labour movement look dumb. Especially the TUC leaders who look stupid and small minded which is a happy coincidence as they are.
CreamOnTop

Yeah reach for the ad hominem when you have no argument. What's all the goodself patronising nonsense? I was criticising the Leadership not the body of the union. Unions have been perverted by the kind of political gerrymandering that has Charlie Whelan paid by a union for lord knows what whilst his real boss attacks its members on strike! Trade Unionists on the ground are some of the finest self sacrificing members of society - Cameron should note when he tries to attack them people who put We before I - v Big Society. Indeed well run branches are paying for the corrupt edifice above them.
mind_ful

Quite right. Vicne has been the biggest disappointment in this political farce so far. After the way the lib dems treated them at the election, I'm surprised anyone in laboour is still speaking to them. I hope Vince takes notice of what this actualy means. Labour is currently equal if not ahead of the conservatives in opinion polls. An election now would mean another hung parliament, or a labour victory. What would happen to the lib dems then?
andy taylor

Youve lost everything Vince, trust and credibility being just 2 of them... The Tuc have done you a big favour
Adrianmidwales

Vince Cable has become one of the most disappointing people in government. Before the election he was seen as a strong well balanced politician, now he is just grass in the wind. A real shame for a once great man who no longer has the ability to voice his opinions.
Thunorson

Your concluding paragraph is clearly more relevant to your goodself, "CreamOnTop", rather than the people and organisations you rather lengthily seek to malign.