Vince Cable and the Beecroft affair
The UK business secretary has been too blasé about the pressures on smaller companies and should do more to push their interests in cabinet
Liberal Democrats
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The Lib Dems have been hit badly by the midterm voter backlash against the coalition government, experiencing the worst set of local election results in their history
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Lib Dems vow to stay for full term
Clegg allies, fearing a backlash, dismiss as ‘absolute madness’ the idea of the party leaving the coalition before the 2015 general election
Anti-cuts group protests at Clegg’s home
Street parties take place in several UK cities as part of nationwide protests against austerity measures
Clegg joins shift to growth and optimism
Downing Street, like mainland Europe, appears
to have tired of austerity and is to embark on strategy to encourage investment
Clegg sounds new economic tone
Deputy PM signalls a shift from lurid warnings by UK ministers about the debt crisis to a fresh emphasis on growth
Jobs report author dismisses Cable
Business secretary is a socialist’ who does little to help companies, says Tory donor Adrian Beecroft, who wants power for employers to fire at will
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Comment and analysis
Beecroft is a glimpse into coalition future
The Beecroft episode is being linked to rumours of more cordial relations between some senior Labour and Lib Dem figures, writes, Matthew Taylor
Time to abandon the ‘Moscow criterion’
When there are safe opportunities to reduce the salience of nuclear weapons we should take them – independently, writes Menzies Campbell
My second-half coalition agenda
We must be prepared to consider additional, even radical, steps to keep our financial system open for business, writes David Laws
Clegg’s challenge
The Lib Dem leader must defend the coalition’s record while explaining the distinctive contribution the party has made to its achievements
Lucky Dave’s show goes on as an(other) irritant departs
Nick Clegg still needs to answer the question of what the Lib Dems are for. A list of achievements will not suffice, writes John Kampfner
It lasted a long 40 minutes, like maths lessons
Lib Dems want to believe in Clegg, but there heart and poll ratings do not sit comfortably with an alliance with the Tories
Pining for the return of yah-boo politics
The nicey-nicey Lib Dems have subsided into sullen resentment and the fear is the quiescence will last through the Labour and Tory conferences as well
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