Sir Vince Cable 'foolish' over Brexit smear

In his keynote speech at his party's conference, the Lib Dem leader said too many older people who voted Leave were 'driven by nostalgia' for a world where 'faces were white'.

His comments have been roundly criticised by Labour and Tory MPs.

Brexiteer Sir Bill Cash, the Conservative MP for Stone, said: "These comments are completely crass and demonstrate just how foolish the Lib Dems have become that their leader can make such insulting remarks.

"As a man of some vintage he really ought to know better."

Dudley North's Labour MP Ian Austin said: "It is completely unacceptable to dismiss decent people in the Black Country as racist.

"You have got to talk to people, take on board their views and come up with fair and reasonable answers. To simply dismiss their views in this way is disgraceful."

UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge, said: "He has insulted over 17 million people. The man has completely lost touch with reality and seems to be desperate to do anything to support the lost cause that the EU has become.

"It is time for Vince Cable to disappear into the long grass."

Sir Vince has denied suggesting older Brexit voters were racist, but said the 'simple truth of the matter' was that the majority of the older generation voted Leave while younger people favoured Remain.

In his speech he said a 'nostalgia for a world where passports were blue, faces were white and the map was coloured imperial pink' had driven some older voters to Brexit.

"And it was their votes on one wet day in June which crushed the hopes and aspirations of young people for years to come," he added.

Asked in an interview following his speech whether he was suggesting older Brexit voters were racist, Sir Vince said: "I didn't suggest that at all."

But he repeated his claim that 'nostalgia for that world' was a factor in how people had voted.

"Why else has so much fuss been made about the change in the colour of the passport?" he said.

Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Sir Vince should be trying to bring country together, not seeking to tear it apart."

Defence Secretary and South Staffordshire MP Mr Williamson said: "It just goes to show how out of touch with the rest of the country he is.

"People voiced their concerns about the EU very clearly in the referendum.

"I think it is pretty dreadful that he has chosen to demean people in this way.

"I really don't think that people on either side of the argument should be going down that route."

Wendy Morton, the Conservative MP for Aldridge-Brownhills, said: "He [Sir Vince] is clearly still in denial over the result of the referendum."