Douglas Carswell's Blog

Lib Dems and Little Englanders

Lib Dems like to be seen as internationalist.  Outward looking.  Broad-minded globalists.  The antithesis of xenophobic little Englanders.

So why then is Vince Cable trying to impose restrictions on foreign takeovers of UK firms, while actively intervening in support of British firms acquiring foreign ones?

I've no problem with a government minister doing what they can to help along any deal that allows a UK-based firm to takeover an overseas company.  But simultaneously acting to prevent the opposite is economically irrational.

It's also a form of economic Little England-ism.

Being internationalist isn't the same thing as nodding along with every new EU treaty. Promoting the UK as a global trading nation is not the same as championing vested corporate interests.  A truly internationally-minded minister could immediately see that.

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