Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps has likened Business Secretary Vince Cable to a 'rude old uncle' who ruins Christmas, following Cable's controversial comments comparing Tory immigration policies to those of Enoch Powell. Speaking on Sunday, Cable accused the Conservatives of spreading panic over immigration and drew parallels to Powell's infamous 1968 'Rivers of Blood' speech.
Shapps said: 'Vince Cable's a bit like an old uncle at Christmas. Slightly rude, does not always make sense, but he is part of the extended family so you have to live with it.' The remarks come as the UK prepares for an expected influx of migrants from Romania and Bulgaria when restrictions are lifted on January 1.
Conservative MPs have called on Prime Minister David Cameron to sack Cable, with backbencher Peter Bone stating: 'If Vince Cable was a Conservative minister he would have been fired already. The idea that David Cameron is behaving like Enoch Powell is completely absurd.' Another Tory MP, Philip Davies, expressed 'nothing but contempt' for Cable, accusing him of duplicity for criticising the government while remaining in his cabinet post.
Downing Street has so far declined to escalate the row, with a No 10 source saying Cable's attack has 'so little credibility it isn't worth it'. However, some Conservatives fear the comparison could cost the party votes, particularly among ethnic minorities.
Meanwhile, a think-tank has warned that meeting the Conservative target of reducing net immigration below 100,000 per year could slash 11 per cent off GDP by 2060, equivalent to £165 billion at today's prices.
