Leading the promo with “a 3,800 word essay from Vince Cable” is a surefire way to get your magazine flying off the shelves. Cable’s supposed big intervention in the New Statesman, backing Labour’s borrow-to-spend mantra, is the re-emergence of old ideas. He then goes off on one about those who don’t subscribe to his Keynesian money tree dream:

“This bastardised ‘supply side’ economics often degenerates into a saloon bar whine about HSE inspectors, newts and birds which block new development, bloody minded workers, equalities and Eurocrats who dream up regulations for square tomatoes and straight bananas. Philosophical cover is provided by the belief that the private sector can always fill the space left by a retreating state.”

Guido doubts Number 10 will be rushing to pick up a copy. Standing firmly between Cable and his own backbenchers, steady as she goes Dave has far bigger things to worry about…