Vince Cable accused of being a socialist by Tory donor

[oldironside]

Vince Cable is a "socialist" who has blocked action to liberalise employment laws that could give a £50bn boost to the economy, according to a Tory donor who wrote a controversial report on cutting red tape.

In a sign of some Tories' deep frustrations with the coalition, Adrian Beecroft also accused the Liberal Democrat leader and deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, of blocking reforms by issuing a "hollow threat" to "go nuclear" and bring down the government.

Beecroft, a venture capitalist, who also comes close to accusing the prime minister of withdrawing support for his departing policy guru Steve Hilton, hit out in interviews with the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/23/vince-cable-socialist-tory-donor

So, an attempt to Americanise our discourse. Now anyone to the left of Norman Tebbit will be branded a socialist. In return I will label this arse as a financial vampire who would sell his own grandmother for a few quid.

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. The obsession with wanting to be able to sack people is certainly American

As is the claim that being able to fire people without giving a reason will 'boost the economy'. No, it doesn't boost the economy - it makes it easier for the owners to keep the profits. If it's a viable business, then the existing rules mean the workers who helped build it get to keep their jobs and some of the profit; if it's not, it goes out of business anyway. The only time they want to be able to sack people arbitrarily is when it's a viable business, but they see a way of grabbing more of the profit - sack existing workers, and hire cheaper ones, or offshore the jobs. No better for the economy - just for the owner.

[ikri]

4. Probably considerably worse for the economy

If people aren't spending now because of fears over the economy, what does this moron think will happen when 99% of us have the threat of immediate termination hanging over our heads? People will not spend money if there's a chance that they might have no job, no redundancy payments and no chance of a pay out for improper dismissal to keep them going. It would depress wages and spending overnight and cause huge numbers of retail businesses to go into administration within a couple of months.

[oldironside]

5. You are 100% right.

Even Henry Ford understood that the workers have to be able to afford to buy what they make for the system to work, or the rich will just be collecting paper.

[LeftishBrit]

2. I wish Cable was a socialist!

'a financial vampire who would sell his own grandmother for a few quid.'

Unfortunately that is what most Tory donors, and not a few donors to the other parties, are- which explains some of our politics. Reliance on big donors is indeed one of things that has damaged American politics; and I fear will increasingly damage ours.

Our government should not be run by unelected 'venture capitalists'. Unfortunately Beecroft thinks it should be.

And as regards the specific policies - it all reminds me of Romney 'liking to be able to fire people'. Disgusting in any case.

[provis99]

3. this moron probably thinks Margaret Thatcher was a socialist, too.

America's conservatives sure have done their job at coarsening the world's political discourse, haven't they?

[AverageJoe90]

6. Agreed to both.

Beecroft oughta just come out and admit he's a closeted corporatist.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Closeted? He's out and proud

As so often, the coalition's Red Tape Challenge to have a bonfire of regulations came up; Hilton and Letwin suggested to officials on the conference line that the department turn its attention to employment law and commission a report on the subject, as it had done for retail and other areas.

They then suggested Adrian Beecroft, a venture capitalist – whose investments include the controversial high-interest pay-day lender Wonga – and a Conservative donor.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/may/23/beecroft-proposals-coalition-support-criticism

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