Britain: vindicated Cable?

Does the hacking scandal rehabilitate Business Secretary Vince Cable?


In charge of media ownership rules until reported as saying he had "declared war" on Rupert Murdoch in December 2010, Vince Cable's position appears to have been substantiated by the hacking scandal and its aftermath.  As the BBC notes, "Following the undercover recording by the Daily Telegraph, Mr Cable was stripped of his responsibility for overseeing Mr Murdoch's bid to take full control of broadcaster BSkyB.  That bid was withdrawn this month amid new phone-hacking allegations and in the face of political opposition."

Cable, an outspoken Liberal Democrat cabinet minister in Britain's Coalition government, seems to have been justified in his stance towards News Corporation and the media moguls who have weilded such political clout in the UK for decades.

Will his other views be given more credence in future, or will he continue to be seen as out-of-step with current political thinking?

He has the misfortune of selecting undiplomatic expressions which irk swathes of the chattering classes.  But sometimes a politician who tests the boundaries is needed to stimulate debate.  His latest foray describes US Republicans as "right-wing nutters" for brinkmanship with the Obama Administration over raising the debt ceiling to evade default.  Given the extreme far right's actions in Norway over the past few days these words seem ill-picked.

The American political system requires review perhaps if every time in the second half of a presidential term the Head of State is unable to press through legislation needed to govern effectively.  The Republicans might have the chance to reverse such decisions if and when they resume power.  Until then, wouldn't it be better to simply allow the Democratic President to get on with the job of running the country he was elected to govern?

As for Cable, he appears to have resumed his position at the centre of the political debate in the UK.