Vince Cable: on Brexit and the case for working with Beijing

Sir Vince Cable is talking about Brexit and damaged bicycle wheels. ‘The metaphor I like to use when talking about the economic consequences of Brexit is a slow puncture,’ the 77-year-old explains from his home in Twickenham, South West London. ‘Because effectively we’re losing access to Britain’s largest market of goods and services.’

‘I was initially encouraged that Brexit campaigners wanted to pursue an open and global Britain,’ he says. ‘And I think that’s absolutely right because that is very much part of the old free trade tradition… But we are now in a world which is probably going in the opposite direction. And I fear that Britain now stands to be isolated.’

Cable is well-placed to know about the difficulties of Brexit. As Liberal Democrat leader, he oversaw the party’s ‘Bollocks to Brexit’ campaign in the 2019 European elections, and for two years was business secretary in the coalition government. These days though, he is more interested in teaching and writing than the political fray.