ECONOMIC 'GURU' CABLE WOWS BRECON

4.43.33pm GMT Mon 23rd Mar 2009

Vince Cable Visits Brecon

Liberal Democrat members and supporters in Brecon & Radnorshire were treated to an analysis of the current global and UK economic situation by the acknowledged master of the art, Vince Cable MP, during a visit to Brecon arranged by local MP Roger Williams and AM Kirsty Williams. The event was also attended by a number of Welsh Liberal Democrat Powys County Councillors and Alan Butt-Phillip, the Welsh Liberal Democrats' lead candidate for the European Parliament Elections in June.

Mr. Cable is recognised across the political spectrum as having been the first politician to repeatedly warn the Government as far back as four years ago about the rising levels of personal and corporate debt in the UK and the vulnerability of the banks to bad debts and mortgages. At a buffet lunch attended by well over 100 people, Mr. Cable reminded everyone that neither the Labour Government nor the Tories had seen the economic downturn coming, that the Tories were strongly opposed to the idea of nationalizing banks, which had been essential to stop the collapse of the whole banking system, and Labour seems incapable of using the opportunities that public ownership of the banks presents to direct them to help businesses and homeowners get through the recession. He also said that he believed that the Lib. Dems. are best-placed to promote policies to aid economic recovery, including major investment in more social housing and public services to provide much-needed improvements, help keep economic activity going and people in jobs.

Accompanied by Roger and Kirsty, Mr. Cable and his wife Rachel visited local shops and businesses around Brecon to hear at first hand about the problems they face and discussed future prospects for the local economy with them.

Speaking after the visit, Roger Williams said:

" We were very fortunate to have had the benefit of the wisdom and wonderful personalities of Vince and Rachel Cable for the afternoon. Vince showed once again that his understanding of what needs to be done to get Wales and the UK through our current difficulties is far ahead of any other politician. If the current Government had listened to him a few years ago the country would not be in the mess it is in now."