Cable 'quite angry' over Telegraph sting

23rd December 2010

Vince Cable has said he is "quite angry" about the newspaper sting by undercover reporters that left him stripped of some ministerial responsibilities this week.

Daily Telegraph reporters had secretly taped the business secretary saying he had "declared war" on Rupert Murdoch.

He was rebuked by the prime minister and stripped of his responsibility for media competition after his unguarded comments on the coalition and media baron Murdoch were revealed.

The business secretary said the incident had caused "great damage" to relations between MPs and their constituents.

Cable was one of a string of Liberal Democrat ministers to be taped by the undercover reporters posing as constituents.

In an interview with the Richmond and Twickenham Times, he said the paper had "completely undermined" the work of local MPs.

"I feel quite angry and strongly about this, I've had constituency surgeries now for 13 years every week, that’s well over 600," he said.

"Thousands and thousands of constituents have been to see me, often on very difficult and highly confidential issues which have been respected by me and by them.

"Then somebody who isn’t a constituent falsifies their name and address and comes in with a hidden microphone - it completely undermines the whole basis on which you operate as a local MP.

"All my colleagues, of all parties, feel very strongly that some great damage has been done by this."

The Twickenham MP said he would not be taking legal action against the Daily Telegraph.

He continued: "Obviously one will have to be more guarded, but the problem is you need to give people an honest answer when they ask a question. Again it diminishes our role.

"It's unfortunate, I will just have to find a way to deal with this which enables me to perform my local role properly."

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