Vince on Marr: It's grown up to talk to Labour

Vince Cable went on the Andrew Marr show this morning to talk about his new industrial strategy. He was also asked about the story in the Mail on Sunday which touted the idea that Zac Goldsmith would resign his Commons seat over the third runway at Heathrow. This, by the way, is an idea that was touted by Richard Morris over at A View from Ham Common on Friday. Well, actually, to be more accurate, he suggested a job swap. It was I in the comments who suggested that Boris wouldn't resign as Mayor but might contest the by-election.

Vince also talked about his new ministerial team, with particular praise for Jo Swinson, and on how he had killed off the Beecroft proposals on making it easier to hire and fire.

On reports that he's talking regularly to Labour, he replied that he was happy being part of Nick Clegg's team, but it was also grown up to have amicable relations with people from other parties.

Ed Balls was on as well, spewing his usual poison on Nick Clegg, a Deputy Prime Minister who has done far more liberal things in 2 years than Labour managed in 13. At the end, Cable and Balls found themselves sitting next to each other on Marr's sofa. Balls adopted an almost predatory, slightly creepy position, facing Vince. Our guy, on the other hand, was very neutrally facing the front. If Paul Waugh thinks this looks cosy, he maybe needs to re-evaluate his understanding of interpersonal relations.

Anyway here's my Storify thingy. There are some gaps - partly because there was an almighty crash from upstairs which scared the life out of me. My husband had fallen over and banged his head and is currently coping with me panicking inside and checking him every few minutes while exuding a Stepford-like calm. Poor man.

Paul Waugh gives more examples of Lib Dems stopping Tories doing their worst

It will come as no surprise to anyone that the Lib Dems favour tax cuts for the poorest over the rich - that's why we've taken almost a million people out of tax in Government with the raising of the tax threshold - or that we don't want to see employers given the right to fire people at will, but it's good to see that journalists such as Paul Waugh recognise it.

In an article titled "The Lib Dem brakes are still on the coalition" Waugh gives three examples just from yesterday where our influence had stopped the Tories doing their worst.

"No wonder," he says, "that Conservative backbenchers are frustrated."

Remember that as you hit the doorsteps and people express their concerns about the coalition - we have a lot to be proud of and things would be a lot worse without us there.