Vince Cable pays high price for unprotected chat

Another honeytrap! Another wicked plot! This must be Christmas - thank you, Santa. And this time the victim is that Westminster quickstep artist Vince Cable who, when snared by two pretty young women, insisted - though not against their will, it must be said - on having unprotected chat.

And how he went on - the political Viagra pumping through that 67-year-old body like there was no tomorrow.

First he boasted he could bring down the government whenever he wishes - single-handedly! - and then he bragged how he was "at war" with Rupert Murdoch - one of the most powerful media tycoons in the modern world - and would never let him take control of BSkyB.

What a guy!

Which is where we get to the spooky and very awkward part of the story. Only months ago, the Daily Telegraph was celebrating the scoop of the decade - its expose of the House of Commons expenses fiasco.

Now, it had brought home a scoop it didn't want - Vince Cable talking himself into a corner where, if his clear bias against Murdoch were ever made public, he was bound to be either sacked as Business Secretary or at least relieved of his responsibilities for deciding on the BSkyB takeover.

The Telegraph - like the Guardian, the Mirror and the Mail - believe Murdoch should not be allowed to control BSkyB when he already has control of so much of the British media - vis the Times, the Sunday Times, the Sun and the News of the World.

Cable's feelings were well-known among the anti-Murdoch brigade. All they had to do was sit back and watch - and there was a reasonable chance Cable would put the kibosh on the BSkyB deal.

Not any more. With Cable in the doghouse, Murdoch will have the takeover bid reviewed by the Tory Culture Minister Jeremy Hunt and the chances are about 99.9 per cent certain that the Aussie tycoon will get his way. Indeed, the chances are 100 per cent that no one in government will dare say a word against Murdoch for the next couple of years at least.

Cameron and Cable moved quickly yesterday to squelch the Cable cock-up, terminating his Murdoch duties but keeping him on as a neutered Business Secretary.

But at the Telegraph there are questions to be answered. What made them think they could suppress Cable's Murdoch outburst? Having got their expenses scoop only because of a leak from inside the Commons, surely Telegraph executives could see the risk that one of their own might pass the Cable-Murdoch firecracker to a well-placed outsider?

Which of course they did - feeding the "I'm at war with Murdoch" comment to Robert Peston at the BBC, who duly came out with the scoop on camera.

And what was the Daily Telegraph doing anyway when it set a honeytrap for a Cabinet minister?

Make no mistake - it was a honeytrap. Two pretty young women pretending to be constituents, preying on Vince's well-known vanity. Just listen to the giggles on the tape as one of the two - was it Holly or Laura? We should be told - squealed with delight every time Cable let slip another apercu.  Oooh, you naughty boy, tell me another!

For the time being, Cable remains at the Cabinet table, because it's easier for Cameron and Clegg to have the little bugger where they can see him. As for the future, I'd still have a place booked at the Bruno Tonioli Home for Aged Dancers. He'll need it sooner rather than later. ·