THE fallout from the Liberal Democrat’s catastrophic showing in the local and Euro elections continued yesterday with Business Secretary Vince Cable being forced to deny suggestions he was involved in an attempted coup against party leader Nick Clegg.

Lib Dem peer Lord Oakeshott, a long-time critic of Mr Clegg, resigned on Wednesday after it emerged he had commissioned a series of polls that indicated the party’s general election performance would improve if Mr Clegg resigned.

Mr Cable, a close ally of Mr Oakeshott, was forced to issue statements regarding his knowledge and involvement in the polling while on a trade mission to Chinese capital Beijing.