SHIPLEY MP Philip Davies reacted angrily after a Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister suggested he had a “problem with racial equality”.

And he vowed the attack – by Business Secretary Vince Cable – would not stop him speaking out in opposition to quotas based on race, religion or gender.

The Commons clash came after Mr Davies urged Dr Cable not to tackle the lack of black and Asian people in City boardrooms by imposing quotas.

Speaking during business questions, the Conservative backbencher said: “Some people, like me, believe that all appointments should be made on merit.

“Some believe in political correctness and think that merit is unimportant and that boardrooms should represent the population at large.

“The Secretary of State seems to be in a league of his own as a politically correct champion who believes neither in merit, nor in representation.

“Instead, he believes that ethnic minorities should be over-represented in the boardroom.”

Mr Davies urged the minister to instead “give out the message that jobs should be given on merit alone, irrespective of people’s race, religion or any other factor”.

In reply, Dr Cable said: “I certainly do believe in merit - I do not believe in quotas.”

And he added: “I know that he has written 19 letters to Mr Trevor Phillips [former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission] on the subject of race and political correctness, which leads me to believe that he might have a problem with the concept of racial equality.”

Speaking afterwards, Mr Davies said: “To be accused by Vince Cable of not believing in racial equality - just because I believe all jobs should be given on merit - says everything about Vince Cable and how much political correctness has taken over in this country.

“It is an outrageous allegation, but I will not be deterred from arguing against quotas based on race, religion or gender.”

Asked about his letters to Mr Phillips, he said: “They were on a whole range of things, six or more years ago so I am afraid I can't remember all the details.”

Dr Cable also taunted Mr Davies by saying “I thought he might have been in Rochester today, waiting to defect.”

But the Shipley MP has insisted he will not switch to UKIP, despite fresh rumours that two further Eurosceptic Tories are poised to do so.