Three quarters of voters side with Cable after speech |

Friday 24th September 2010 | 13:30

Three quarters of voters side with Cable after speech

Following his comments on capitalism, seventy four per cent of the public have sided with the Business Secretary, who has also beaten his party leader to become the public's favourite Lib Dem.

A huge three quarters of the public have sided with Vince Cable after his controversial comments on capitalism.

Cable’s colourful comments, which included the statement that ‘capitalism takes no prisoners and kills competition where it can’ earned him the disparagement of business leaders, but seventy four per cent of voters either ‘strongly sided’ or ‘generally sided’ with the business secretary.

In a speech to the Lib Dem conference, Vince Cable said:

'Why should good companies be destroyed by short-term investors looking for a speculative killing, while their accomplices in the City make fat fees? Why do directors forget their wider duties when a fat cheque is waved before them? Capitalism takes no prisoners and kills competition where it can.'

Overall, after reading this is your instinct to take Cable's side or to oppose him?

Cable favourite for Labour and Lib Dem supporters, Clegg top choice for Tories

Cable has also pipped his party leader to claim the accolade of being the country’s favourite Lib Dem.

Voters were asked to choose any from a list of prominent Lib Dem politicians they thought were ‘especially good’.

Cable had the backing of forty three per cent of voters, pushing him past the Deputy Prime Minister on thirty nine per cent. He had a clear lead over his leader among natural Labour and Lib Dem supporters.

Nick Clegg was top rated by Conservative party supporters, but among Liberal Democrats had to settle for third place behind Cable and former leader Paddy Ashdown.

Simon Hughes, seen as a potential rebel against the coalition, did not fare especially well, either among Lib Dems or the public at large.

Cabinet members Danny Alexander and Chris Huhne were also among the low scorers.

PoliticsHome interviewed 1,023 adults by email from 22-24 September 2010. Results are weighted by age, gender and political party identification to reflect the population of Great Britain.

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