Vince Cable’s disagreement with David Cameron over immigration seems entirely reasonable to me and much less problematic than his attitude to Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to purchase SKY. Sure, if he were a Tory he’d have been sacked. But he’s not a Tory and on a subject such as immigration – and the way in which the issue should be discussed – I can’t see why we have to maintain the fiction that everyone in the government must agree with one another on everything. Better, surely, to acknowledge that there’s a government-sponsored policy but even within the government, it being a coalition and all, not everyone considers the policy ideal. Or is that only allowed when disgruntled Conservatives complain that the Lib Dems are “dragging” the coalition to the left?
It may well be that, as James says, Cable automatically – and mistakenly – assumes the worst of anyone who raises concerns about immigration.
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