BBC News - Vince Cable under pressure

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1. 1822: alpesh1982 tweets: "Cable should not resign, his actions are stopping UK News Channels turning in to the mess US News Channels are in "
2. 1818: Kneewax tweets: "Surprised Vince Cable is managing to keep his job. Not a fan of knee-jerk sackings. Just surprised after his daft comments."
3. 1814: BBC political editor Nick Robinson says the removal of Vince Cable's powers to deal with media takeover bids following his remarks about BSkyB is a "humiliation" for the business secretary. It is "not a rap on the knuckles but a slap in the face" from Downing Street, he adds.
4. 1810: Conservative blogger Iain Dale tweets: "This halfway house statement is ridiculous. I still think Cable shld go. I can't see how his position is tenable. Politically he's dead."
5. 1806: Bookmaker William Hill has halved its odds on Vince Cable resigning or being sacked as a cabinet minister before the end of next year from 4-1 to 2-1.
6. 1803: Sam Nickerson tweets: " Cable is right, Murdoch needs stopping. Look at FOX in the US. He has politicians running scared of him. Don't resign Vince!"
7. 1759: Vince Cable has returned to his home in his Twickenham constituency, the BBC's Adam Fleming reports.
8. 1758: In a statement, Mr Cable says: "I fully accept the decision of the prime minister and deputy prime minister. I deeply regret the comments I made and apologise for the embarrassment that I have caused the government."
9. 1757: Clair Ratcliffe tweets tweets: "So is Vince going to resign or get pushed? Or will he hang on by the tips of his dancing shoes?"
10. 1754: More from Downing Street. A spokesman says: "Following comments made by Vince Cable to the Daily Telegraph, the prime minister has decided that he will play no further part in the decision over News Corporation's proposed takeover of BSkyB. In addition, all responsibility for competition and policy issues relating to media, broadcasting, digital and telecoms sectors will be transferred immediately to the secretary of state for culture, media and sport. This includes full responsibility for Ofcom's activities in these areas."
11. 1752: A Downing Street spokesman says Prime Minister Cameron believes that Vince Cable's comments concerning Rupert Murdoch are "totally unacceptable and inappropriate".
12. 1748: Vince Cable will stay on as business secretary, but all responsibility for the BSkyB takeover and other such media deals will go to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the BBC is told.
13. 1746: Labour MP Tom Harris tweets: "Insert the word 'yet' into the following sentence: 'Cable will not resign from the cabinet.'"
14. 1742: BBC political editor Nick Robinson says David Cameron might want to keep Vince Cable in the cabinet because of the disruption the loss of such a high-profile Lib Dem would cause. It is almost inconceivable he would have survived following his comments over the BSkyB takeover if he had been a Conservative serving in a Tory government, rather than a Lib Dem in a coalition, he adds.
15. 1735: Vince Cable is not resigning from the cabinet, BBC political editor Nick Robinson is told. The decision on whether he stays on as business secretary is unclear, he adds.
16. 1731: One cabinet minister has said it does not look as if Vince Cable will go, the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg reports.
17. 1730: Steve Brookstein tweets tweets: "Vince Cable is a legend. 100% support him! "
18. 1728: Conservative MP Philip Davies, a member of the Commons culture, media and sport committee, tells the BBC: "The whole point of ministers making these kinds of decisions on takeovers like this [of BSkyB] is that they are supposed to remain scrupulously impartial and without prejudice. Given these comments, it would seem extraordinary if he was able to take any part at all in this decision." He adds: "I think the erratic behaviour we have seen over the last couple of days isn't helping the government."
19. 1721: Former Lib Dem communications chief Mark Littlewood says it is doubtful that Vince Cable will remain as business secretary. He may be shuffled into another ministerial role, he adds. But Mr Cable is not "easily dispensable", as he represents the social democratic wing of the Lib Dems in government, Mr Littlewood says.
20. 1716: The shadow leader of the Commons, Hilary Benn, has called on the prime minister to make a statement to MPs about Vince Cable's role in the BSkyB takeover. But Deputy Speaker Dawn Primarolo said she had not received notification that the government wanted to make any comments.
21. 1713: Referring to the recording of Mr Cable's comments by two undercover female reporters from the Daily Telegraph, Tony Blair's former communications chief Alastair Campbell tweets: "If Cable goes, not the first time a minister falls because he was led on by a flirtatious giggle."
22. 1706: International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell has arrived in Downing Street, the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg reports.
23. 1703: If Vince Cable goes unpunished for his remarks, Conservative backbenchers would feel David Cameron is indulging the Lib Dems far too much and that "one of their own" would have been dealt with more harshly, the BBC's Iain Watson says.
24. 1653: On Twitter, Christopher Meyer, the former UK ambassador to Washington, asks: "Cablegate: what does this tell us about Vince's ego and judgement?"
25. 1648: Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is talking to Vince Cable, the BBC understands.
26. 1643: A bit of background. The undercover reporters from the Daily Telegraph, who spoke to Mr Cable at a constituency surgery, also recorded the business secretary saying he could bring down the coalition if he resigned on a point of principle at some stage. He spoke of "battles" with the Conservatives and warned that the government was pursuing a "Maoist" agenda on some issues. Prime Minister David Cameron and deputy Nick Clegg both said Mr Cable had been right to apologise over the remarks but praised his record as a minister.
27. 1637: Labour MP Denis MacShane tweets: "Vince cannot stay as man who 'independently' makes ruling on merger/takeover when he has so blatantly shown his prejudice. Has to go."
28. 1634: Lord Razzall, a former elections co-ordinator for the Lib Dems, tells the BBC he is confident Vince Cable can continue in his role. He says: "I have no doubt that he can and I've no doubt that he will behave properly and be seen to behave properly." On the proposed BSkyB takeover deal, he adds: "It's not him that will make the recommendation. It's a totally independent body, Ofcom, who will make the recommendation that I assume he will follow."
29. 1630: Labour's John Denham says: "In light of the grave doubts that will inevitably be raised about Vince Cable's integrity and judgement it is very difficult to see how David Cameron and Nick Clegg can continue to have confidence in him as business secretary. Every company - big or small - that comes up in front of the competition authorities has a right to know that their case will be heard dispassionately and judged on its merits. Vince Cable, with these extraordinary remarks, has clearly shown he is unable to do that."
30. 1626: The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg says Mr Cable's location is unknown. She adds that shadow business secretary John Denham has called on Mr Cable to step aside from taking any role in the BSkyB decision.
31. 1622: A spokesman for Rupert Murdoch's News Coroporation says: "News Corporation are shocked and dismayed by reports of Mr Cable's comments. They raise serious questions about fairness and due process."
32. 1618: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of an extraordinary day at Westminster. Business Secretary Vince Cable has told undercover reporters from The Daily Telegraph that he has "declared war" on media baron Rupert Murdoch and blocked his attempt to take full control of BSkyB. Labour has asked Mr Cable to step aside, saying his role in the government been compromised.

via bbc.co.uk

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