UK’s Liberal Democrats make Vince Cable party leader

LONDON – Former British Business Secretary Vince Cable has become the new leader of the Liberal Democrats in Britain.

Nominations for the position closed Thursday without any challengers to Cable. He will take over from Tim Farron, who stepped down after the party’s lacklustre performance in the June 8 general election.

The 74-year-old Cable was prominent in the government led by former Prime Minister David Cameron when the Conservative Party was in coalition with the smaller Liberal Democrats.

Cable has opposed Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. He says the government will be unable to deliver the “painless” Brexit that it has promised.