Sir Vince Cable

Sir Vince Cable
Name	Sir Vince Cable
Office	Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Term start	20 July 2017
Term end	22 July 2019
Predecessor	Tim Farron
Successor	Jo Swinson
Office1	Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
Primeminister1	David Cameron
Term start1	12 May 2010
Term end1	11 May 2015
Predecessor1	The Lord Mandelson
Successor1	Sajid Javid
Office2	Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson
Leader2	Charles Kennedy, Menzies Campbell, Nick Clegg
Term start2	12 June 2003
Term end2	11 May 2010
Predecessor2	Matthew Taylor
Successor2	Danny Alexander
Office3	Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Leader3	Charles Kennedy
Term start3	12 June 2003
Term end3	2 March 2006
Predecessor3	The Baroness Maddock
Successor3	The Baroness Scott of Needham Market
Office4	Member of Parliament, for Twickenham
Term start4	1 May 1997
Term end4	6 November 2019
Predecessor4	Toby Jessel
Successor4	Munira Wilson
Birth name	John Vincent Cable
Birth date	9 May 1943
Birth place	York, England
Party	Liberal Democrats
Spouse	Olympia Rebelo (m. 1968; died 2001), Rachel Smith (m. 2004)
Alma mater	Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, University of Glasgow

Sir Vince Cable is a British politician and economist who served as the leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2017 to 2019. He was the Member of Parliament for Twickenham from 1997 to 2019 and held the cabinet position of Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the coalition government led by David Cameron. Cable gained national prominence as a critic of financial practices in the City of London and for his economic forecasts, particularly during the Great Recession.

Early life and education

John Vincent Cable was born in York and spent parts of his childhood in Northern Ireland. He was educated at Nunthorpe Grammar School in York before studying Natural Sciences at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. He later completed a PhD in economics at the University of Glasgow, where his doctoral thesis focused on the economics of Kenya and Tanzania.

Career before politics

Before entering politics, Cable had a substantial career as an economist and in public service. He worked as a Treasury finance officer and later as a senior advisor to the Commonwealth Secretariat. He served as chief economist for the multinational corporation Shell from 1995 to 1997. His international work included advisory roles for governments in developing nations, including India and Malaysia, and he lectured at the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde.

Political career

Cable first stood for Parliament for the Liberal Party in Glasgow Hillhead in 1970. He was elected as the Liberal Democrats MP for Twickenham in the 1997 general election. He rose to national prominence as the party's Treasury spokesperson from 2003 to 2010, and served as Deputy Leader under Charles Kennedy. During the 2007–2008 financial crisis, his warnings about the unsustainable nature of Northern Rock's business model were noted. Following the 2010 election, he was appointed Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the Cabinet. After losing his seat in the 2015 election, he regained it in 2017 and was subsequently elected leader of the Liberal Democrats, serving until 2019.

Political positions and views

Cable is known for his economically liberal but socially progressive views. He was a vocal critic of the Iraq War and advocated for stronger regulation of the Bank of England and the City of London. He proposed a "Mansion Tax" on high-value properties and supported the 2016 referendum on European Union membership, campaigning for the Remain side. As Business Secretary, he oversaw the establishment of the Green Investment Bank and reforms to Royal Mail's ownership. He has written extensively on economics, including critiques of capitalism in his book *The Storm*.

Personal life

Cable married his first wife, Olympia Rebelo, in 1968; she died in 2001. He married his second wife, Rachel Smith, in 2004. He has two sons and a daughter from his first marriage. Cable is a fan of jazz music and has performed as a guitarist. He has authored several books on politics and economics and is a regular contributor to publications like *The Guardian*.

Honours and awards

Cable was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 2015 Birthday Honours for political and public service. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of York and was awarded the Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year award in 2008. In 2010, he received the Frontbencher of the Year award from *The House Magazine*.

Category:Liberal Democrat MPs for English constituencies Category:Leaders of the Liberal Democrats Category:Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge