YORK-born Vince Cable has become the first contender to throw his hat into the ring to replace Tim Farron as leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Sir Vince, 74, returned to the House of Commons as MP for Twickenham in this month's General Election, having been one of the highest-profile casualties of the party's collapse in support in 2015.

Former energy secretary Sir Ed Davey and ex-health minister Norman Lamb have also indicated they are considering a bid for the leadership, but hotly-tipped East Dunbartonshire MP Jo Swinson, 37, ruled herself out and has since been elected, unopposed, to the deputy leadership.

Declaring his candidacy on the Lib Dem Voice website, the former business secretary said he is ready to "work with like-minded people in other parties" to secure a second referendum on any Brexit deal, with the option to stay in the EU if the agreement on offer is not good enough.

He described Brexit as an "iceberg" about to hit the UK economy and said the party should "warn of the dangers ahead and the need for a new course".

Sir Vince previously served as acting leader following the resignation of Sir Menzies Campbell in 2007, but declined to stand for the top job at that point, saying that an older candidate would not be electable because of "irrational prejudice about age".

If elected, he would be the party's oldest ever leader and the oldest leader of a major party since Sir Winston Churchill, who was 80 when he stepped down as Conservative leader.