Cable car

By: Simon Warburton - 25 August 2010 16:15

My ongoing battle with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (still not a snappy title) has entered a new phase, having watched our local television news here in the UK's Midlands region yesterday (24 August).

There on the screen was the new British business secretary touring - among other automotive sites - a test track near Warwick to meet apprentices and engineers from Aston Martin and Jaguar.

BBC Midlands ran a piece highlighting Cable's jaunt to the region, which appeared to include the Liberal Democrat business secretary enjoying some er, most un-Liberal like supercar driving in Aston Martin and Jaguar vehicles.

OK, Jaguar's hybrid car is called the 'Limo Green,' so maybe that'll assuage the more traditional wing of his party.

And the visit came hot on the heels of the business department chief's fairly tough comments on the UK industry recently, which weren't exactly highlighted when I attended his subsequent speech later that morning at the Toyota plant.

A call to Cable's DBIS office elicited the following: "We only invited regional media and The Sun newspaper yesterday."

The Sun is a mighty successful redtop in the UK but seems a bit of an odd choice to single out.

Just to prove I'm not bitter about The Sun, I suggested to DBIS we interview Dr Cable - as I believe he's also known.

I've yet to hear back. And we're in the regions.