Vince Cable: Lib Dems will be running Sheffield within five years

The Sheffield Star has an upbeat report on Vince Cable's visit to the city yesterday, when he called in at the party's HQ to congratulate activists and councillors on their gains in the local elections:

There is a sense of optimism in the room - spurred on by ongoing public anger at the lack of transparency on offer from the authority’s ruling Labour Cabinet, on matters from tree-felling to the group’s dealings with Chinese investors. 

But there is also a feeling that the Lib Dems are on their way back, after Nick Clegg’s disastrous dealings with the Conservatives took the party almost to the brink.

The paper quotes Vince:

“Five years from now we will have had a general election and I am sure we will have a Liberal Democrat MP representing Sheffield again in Parliament, and I would be very disappointed if we weren’t running the city by that stage as well,” he said. 

“We took three seats back this year and will make more progress next year throughout the city. We want to run Sheffield and we will again, but it doesn’t happen overnight. 

“The Labour cabinet are not making any friends over this toxic issue with the trees - it’s just no way to run local government.”

If you follow me on Twitter you will know all about Sheffield Labour's war on trees. If you don't then read this primer on the issue.

Vince also gave a well-deserved hoofing to the Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam, Jared O'Mara, who has managed the difficult feat of being both controversial and invisible.

But as the Lib Dems won every ward in Hallam in this month's elections, O'Mara will not be resigning any time soon.