As we reported 3 weeks ago, Sir Vince Cable will today make a major speech on the future of the Lib Dems. Two senior sources and WhatsApp messages said he would use today’s speech to announce his plan to resign in 2019. uk.businessinsider.com/vince-cable-se…
I’m here at the National Liberal Club where Sir Vince Cable will deliver his major speech in the next few minutes. A-Ha — Take On Me currently being blasted. 
Sir Vince Cable cites France, Canada and Ireland as countries with “encouraging” political movements. Cable is currently being advised by Tom Pitfield, who worked for both Trudeau and Macron.
Cable confirms that the party will create a “new class of supporters” who for free will be able to vote in leadership contests. He says the party must “make it easier for people to get on board” and make itself a “broadly-based movement” like the Canadian Liberal party.
Cable confirms that party members who aren’t MPs will be able stand in future Lib Dem leadership contests
Ey up. Cable says “the Lib Dems might not be the only centrist force in UK politics” and has “met with a few people” trying to set up new parties. He predicts Labour and Tory MPs will quit their party and says Lib Dems are “open to working together with people from other parties”
Vince Cable says he will stand down once the new party structures are in place and once Brexit “is resolved.” Says he doesn’t want to create an “artificial timeline” for his resignation.
I asked Cable whether the Lib Dems would form a House of Commons bloc with Labour and Tory MPs who quit their parties. He says he doesn’t see why cross-party coordination “can’t extend to much wider areas”...
