We can taste glory

CHEERS . . . (from left) Vince Cable enjoys a pint with William Lees-Jones, from JW Lees; Oldham Business Leadership Group chairman Dave Benstead and Elwyn Watkins

Lib-Dems up for the fight

BUSINESS Secretary Vince Cable insists the Liberal Democrats can put their national unpopularity behind them to snatch the Oldham East and Saddleworth seat.

The Government Minister supported his party’s candidate Elwyn Watkins during a visit to a local brewery where he met Oldham’s business leaders.

Lib-Dem poll ratings have plummeted due to massive spending cuts and the party reneging on a pledge not to increase university tuition fees.

But the Twickenham MP insisted they can win the by-election on January 13.

“I’m certain we can win,” Mr Cable told the Chronicle.

“I’m here to support Elwyn Watkins as a superb candidate. We are very much up for the by-election and are very positive.

“There’s a lot of anger in the area about the Labour Party, who fought a terrible, disreputable campaign and their candidate was disqualified.”

Asked if it would be a test of the Lib-Dems’ popularity, he said: “It’s the first big election test since the Coalition Government was formed so there’s a lot of interest in it. But there are local political factors here.

“It’s the first time an MP has been disqualified in this way for a spurious campaign and the worst thing about it is they have not even apologised. Ed Milliband appointed Phil Woolas to his Shadow Cabinet and never retracted that. There’s a lot at stake for Labour.

“We have had to make difficult decisions. All the feedback from our canvassing shows that people in this area do understand that the Government had to make painful decisions.”

He added that he didn’t think anger over the tuition fees vote would prove a significant factor.

Labour is unhappy that the Lib-Dems broke with convention to move a writ for the by-election to be held as soon as possible, giving them little time to campaign. But Mr Cable said: “People in Oldham have a right to be represented in Parliament. They have not got an MP and we want to get on with it and get this area represented as soon as possible. I don’t see what their complaint is and they have not contested the writ.”

On student voters, Mr Cable said with polling outside of term time there will actually be more students at home in Oldham and many are part-time anyway.

Mr Cable visited JW Lees Brewery at Greengate, Middleton Junction, where he met the Oldham Business Leadership Group.

Mr Cable said he wanted to support local businesses and find out what help he could provide. He acknowledged there are problems getting credit from banks and said he wanted to discuss getting rid of red tape to help create private sector growth that will create jobs and boost the economy.

Mr Watkins was delighted with the support, saying: “It’s always terrific Vince coming up. He’s a terrific bloke.”