Tory MPs slam bizarre claim from Liberal Democrat leadership hopeful Sir Vince Cable that Brexit might not even happen
TORY MPs have slammed claims by Lib Dem wannabe leader Sir Vince Cable that Brexit might not happen because the parties are so divided.
Sir Vince Cable said today that he was beginning to think differences within the Labour and Conservative parties could scrap our EU exit from the agenda altogether - and keep us in the bloc indefinitely.
Sir Vince, who is the sole candidate for the leadership of the party after Tim Farron quit the role, said that a second referendum could give Brits a "way out" of Brexit.
The fantasy-land MP, who regained his seat of Twickenham last month after the Tories nicked it in 2015, told the Andrew Marr Show this morning: "I’m beginning to think Brexit may never happen.
"The problems are so enormous, the divisions within the two major parties are so enormous... I can see a scenario where this doesn't happen."
And despite voters rejecting the Liberal Democrats' message in the recent election, he was adamant that a second referendum COULD be on the cards, if the economy started to falter.
Despite the clear vote from 17.4 million Brits to leave the European Union last year, he said: "A second referendum is designed to give a way out when it becomes clear that Brexit is potentially disastrous."
Sir Vince said he believed that the economy is set to stumble and would leave Brits worse off after we quit the EU - despite many Project Fear predictions from the referendum failing to come true.
He said the problems to come were "enormous" and predicted Brexit-backers might change their mind.
"With the situation deteriorating in the economy - as I think it will - people will realise, well, we didn't vote to become poorer. And I think the whole question of continued membership will once again arrive."
The comments by the man who claims to have predicted the credit crisis a decade ago were dismissed by the Government.
A No.10 source said: “Vince Cable has once again shown that his party will seek to keep us in the EU despite the clear choice of the British people to leave.”
But politicians were quick to hit back at Sir Vince's claims today.
Former environment secretary and staunch Brexiteer, Owen Paterson, told the Daily Politics that Sir Vince was "behind history".
He stormed: "He wanted to stay in the EU and now he's chucking buckets of water around.
"We just had an election where the two main parties who said we should leave the EU took 85 per cent of the vote - Vince Cable's party went down in votes.
"I am afraid Vince is behind history - we are going to leave, we are on target.
"If we do not deliver a proper Brexit, leaving the single market, customs union, ECJ and taking back control, there will be absolutely appalling damage to the integrity of the whole establishment."
And MP for Tewkesbury, Laurence Roberston, said: "They never learn. This, not the voting system, is why people don't vote Lib Dem."
Tory MEP David Bannerman added: "Just how contemptuous of democracy are the Liberal Democrats?"
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Sir Vince Cable reveals his new thriller novel contains 'discreet sex scenes'
SIR VINCE CABLE has revealed that his new thriller novel contains "discreet" sex scenes.
The Liberal Democrat MP, who hopes to be elected as leader of his party, said his new book, 'Open Arms' would be released in a few months.
The book is an "explosive thriller which circles from Whitehall to the slums of Mumbai", he told the BBC's Radio Five Live today.
He was asked whether any of the scenes were "racy", and replied: "It is not actually about sex – the sex is very discreet, it is not going to win the bad sex award."
Sir Vince, who won back his Twickenham seat last month, also was asked as part of a 'snog, marry, avoid' question and answer session, whether he would give Theresa May a "consolatory cuddle".
He said: “Well that is as far it would go.”
Theresa May, in spite of campaigning for Remain, has vowed to respect the will of the British people and take us out of the EU.
She will introduce more legislation later this week - the Repeal Bill - to help pave the way, as she marks a year in No10.
But some MPs - like the Chancellor Philip Hammond, have used the party's poor election result to campaign for a softer exit from the bloc, focused on jobs.
The Liberal Democrats gained just seven per cent of the vote in last month's snap election - and just 12 MPs.
Their share of the vote overall fell by half a percent too - on the back of their manifesto pledge to hold a second referendum to try and reverse Brexit.
The Lib Dem hopeful was humiliated earlier this week after his claim that Brexit led to a strawberry shortage was debunked as "fake news".
Sales of the fruit have ballooned and are being sold as far away as Uruguay and China, official stats show.
The claims come as Theresa May's ambitions got a boost yesterday after Donald Trump said a trade deal would be signed "very, very quickly" after we quit the bloc.
The US President told the PM it would be a “very powerful deal” as he lavished praise on the UK – saying “no country could possibly be closer than our countries”.
He told her he believes Britain will “thrive” outside the EU and spoke of the "very special relationship" the pair had developed since he took office in January.
No10 said the two nations want to make sure they are in a position on Brexit day in March 2019 to sign and implement a deal “as soon as possible”.