War on Murdoch comment improved reputation, says MP Vince Cable (From Your Local Guardian)

War on Murdoch comment improved reputation, says MP Vince Cable

10:20am Friday 20th July 2012 in Richmond By Paul Teed

Vince Cable has said his reputation may have improved after he “declared war” on media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

The Business Secretary said his instincts had mainly been right when he made the controversial comments to two undercover reporters in his constituency office in Lion Road, Twickenham, in December, 2010.

The Twickenham MP, who was stripped of his responsibility overseeing Mr Murdoch’s planned takeover of broadcaster BSkyB, told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme this week that he planned to remain an outspoken politician.

He said: “I try to be outspoken when I feel it’s necessary. I don’t want to lose the tag of being somebody who speaks their mind. Once you’ve lost that you may as well not be there anymore.”

He said he was now more careful in his comments, adding: “Little things you learn, that, you know, irony is a very, very dangerous form of humour because some people don’t get it and they think you’re saying the opposite of what you are saying. I have a kind of built-in thermostat, stopping it boiling over.”