Cameron: Cable is 'absolute star'

Prime Minister David Cameron has said the more he thinks about the new coalition Government "the more excited I become".

Speaking at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills he lavished praise on Liberal Democrat Vince Cable, who he has appointed as the Business Secretary.

Mr Cameron said Lib Dem deputy leader Mr Cable was an "absolute star" in terms of economic policy. Speaking to the department's civil servants, the Prime Minister said: "I wanted to come here first for some very good reasons.

"First of all, we face huge economic challenges and I think it's so important... that we really demonstrate that this country is open for business, that we want to promote trade overseas, that we want to get our economy moving, we want to get our banks lending.

"I see this as a big economic department with a huge task in front of it and I want all of you to work together to help deliver that."

He said Mr Cable and Universities Minister David Willetts formed an "incredibly talented" team.

"Vince Cable is an absolute star in terms of economic policy and economic thinking. He has demonstrated that over the last few years in Parliament. And to bring him together with David Willetts, who is also known as 'two brains'... you already have some of the top talent that is available in Parliament to make a great success of this."

Mr Cameron continued: "The more I think about this endeavour on which we have embarked, the more excited I become because this coalition Government, if we can make it work - and I believe we can - is a five-year government.

"And one of the things everyone says about our economy is we need to make more long-term decisions. I think we have an incredible opportunity to make long-term decisions for the good of our economy, for the good of our country."

Mr Cameron said he would try to "appoint good ministers and to keep them in post for a decent period of time".