Has Miliband thrown Cable a lifejacket or an anchor?

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

Channel 4’s Cathy Newman has a great scoop this evening. Speaking to Ed Miliband today she asked if Vince Cable – who is clearly not enjoying life under the blue yoke of Cameron and Clegg – would be welcomed back into the Labour fold.

Miliband has been open about his desire to win over disaffected Lib Dems. He spent much if the leadership contest making it clear that he could appeal to such voters, and returned to that message at the weekend.

Yet today’s interview with Newman was the clearest indication that he’s targetting Lib Dem MPs, and even cabinet ministers. When asked if Labour was a home for Cable, Miliband said:

“Of course, and there’s a home for any Lib Dem who wants to come and join our Labour party…I think we are now the natural home for progressive politics because we are the only party that can meet a credible claim on social justice.”

He has said in the past that he’s determined to get rid of this government before 2015. The only realistic way of doing this is by winning over Lib Dems, either one by one or en masse. If before the election you had asked Labour members who their favourite Lib Dem was then Cable would have been the winner by some distance. He’s a former Labour man and might see this as the opportunity to return to the Labour fold.

However by doing so he would almost certainly be bringing his parliamentary career to an end. His Richmond constituency is hardly Labour territory, and it is difficult to see him moving to a safe Labour Labour seat while the number of MPs is being cut.

Of course it’s possible that Miliband isn’t throwing Cable a lifejacket, but an anchor. Cable is the weak link in the coalition. He promised to go nuclear and every so often he tries. Labour insiders say that it’s best to keep a weakened and angry Cable in the cabinet. If Clegg or Cameron believes that Cable might take Miliband’s offer seriously, he might be weakened further.

And a weakened, marginalised and angry Cable is dangerous for the coalition. And that’s exactly what Labour want.