Last night, Young Liberals voted to expel former LibDem leader Vince Cable from the party after insisting on GB News that labelling the Uyghur humans rights crisis a genocide is “hyping the language” . The motion’s proposer, Young Liberals’ International Officer Peter Banks, slammed Cable in his speech, saying:

“Uyghurs in Xinjiang have faced horrific abuse by the Chinese government, including forced sterilisation, torture, restrictions on childrens’ names, destruction of religious sites, forced separation of families, and detainment in re-education camps.”

“These atrocities undoubtedly meet the international definition of genocide, and it’s a disgrace that the former leader of a liberal, democratic party would seek to undermine emerging international campaigns to put an end to the abuses of Uyghurs.”

A Guido source who attended the conference said that roughly 50 people participated in the vote and it passed nearly unanimously. Guido wonders whether Ed Davey, who has thus far been strong on condemning the genocide, will have anything to say about all this…

Cable hit back at the Young Liberals by saying:

“They cannot claim to be Liberals when they demonstrate an unwillingness to debate alternate views. The anti-China campaign is orchestrated by the far right Republicans in the USA and I am surprised to see progressive groups lining up with them.” 

Is the CCP looking for a new communications director?