Lib Dem conference: Vince Cable graces economy debate with presence and support

So after all that fuss overnight, suddenly Vince Cable has decided that he can spare time to pop along to his party’s crunch debate on the economy, to vote and lend his moral support. Nick Clegg must be thrilled.

What is the Business Secretary up to, initially planning to avoid the conference hall for ‘speech prep’? Well, those in an uncharitable mood might suspect that this has all been a rather convenient fuss for the Business Secretary, who could firstly show he’s not comfortable with all the cheery rhetoric on the economy, and then show how grand and important he is by whisking in at the last minute. But it’s also worth remembering that this could have been Cable’s conference, where a furious party could have carried him on its shoulders into power. But it hasn’t been, and Clegg is in a strong enough position to stage a series of confrontations with activists over key policies.