Cable accuses Tories over economy (From Western Telegraph)

Cable accuses Tories over economy

1:49pm Saturday 13th March 2010 in

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Vince Cable has accused the Tories of "playing fast and loose" with the economy as they try to frighten voters into electing a Conservative government.

The Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman said David Cameron and George Osborne were being irresponsible with their warnings about the risk to sterling in the event of a hung parliament.

In his keynote speech to the Lib Dems' spring conference in Birmingham - the last before the general election expected on May 6 - Mr Cable said: "We must and will be fiscally responsible.

"Unlike the Tories and their cronies who want to create a financial panic and run on sterling to frighten people into voting for them on May 6.

"Playing fast and loose with the financial stability of this country for political gain - destabilising the markets - is dangerous, irresponsible and wrong.

"It is also irresponsible to engage in a phoney war over cuts weeks before an election that will affect the lives of millions of people."

Earlier, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg made clear he would not support Tory plans to start cutting immediately if he was involved in the next government.

"Self evidently I think, we think, that merrily slashing now is an act of economic masochism," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"So if anyone had to rely on our support, we were involved in government, of course we would say no, do it sensibly."

In his well-received conference speech - he was cheered on and off the stage and given a standing ovation at its close - Mr Cable also attacked Labour's record in government.