UK Edition
Vince Cable will not agree to support Tory Government because it is like 'mating with a praying mantis'
Sir Vince Cable will not allow the Liberal Democrats to agree a deal with the Tories because “having mated with a praying mantis once we are not going to do it again".
The favourite to be the next leader of the LibDems ruled out allowing his MPs to sign a confidence and supply deal with the minority Conservative government.
There was speculation this week that the Conservatives could open talks with the Liberal Democrats’ 12 MPs about supporting the Government if the DUP talks fail.
But Sir Vince, the former Business secretary, told The Daily Telegraph: “Having mated with a preying mantis once we are not going to do it again.
“They will have to accept they are a minority government which will stay in power with the consent of the other parties in parliament and run a different style of government.”
Sir Ed Davey, another former Cabinet minister who is expected to say he will stand in the coming days, also said that he would oppose any deal.
The Lib Dem MPs were more attuned to the disciplines of government after their experience running the Coalition with the Conservatives.
LibDem sources insisted that no deal could be done by current leader Tim Farron, who ruled them out during the election campaign.
However they admitted that any future leader, such as Sir Vince Cable, who announced he was standing on Tuesday, would not be bound by any commitments made by Mr Farron.
Conservative and LibDem sources played down the speculation.
The party is facing its second hunt for a new leader in two years following the resignation of Tim Farron over the conflict between his faith and political career.
Sir Vince is likely to battle it out for the leadership with Sir Ed and Norman Lamb, the veteran LibDem MP.
The Daily Telegraph disclosed yesterday how Sir Vince agreed to step down as Liberal Democrat leader after two or three years to let younger rival Jo Swinson take over if he wins the leadership.
Ms Swinson is understood to have hammered out the deal with Sir Vince at the end of last week in the days after Mr Farron resigned.
One source said: “Vince has the most experience and is what the party needs in the next couple of years. Everyone thinks that. But the future is Jo Swinson.”
Ms Swinson, 37, said at the weekend that she would stand not for the leadership leaving the way open for Sir Vince to become leader at the age of 74.
Ms Swinson was voted in unopposed as the party’s deputy leader on Tuesday.
The East Dunbartonshire MP said that she had often observed men "going for the promotion when they shouldn't" as she vowed to run for the deputy leadership instead, saying it was “the right role for now”.
Announcing his candidature, Sir Vince denied he had signed a “deal” with Ms Swinson and said there had been “no collusion of any kind”.
He told The Daily Telegraph: “There is no deal, she is doing it for her own reasons in her own time.
“She wants to be deputy leader for her own personal reasons – she is not part of an explicit ticket.
“It is a simple fact of life if I decided in three years’ time to let someone else take over she is ideally placed to do it.”