Tim “shouty shouty” Farron has resigned … 😯

BBC News

Crikey … 😮

Must be you lot questioning his personal belief. 😯

So does that mean Brian Paddick is going to delete his tweet and not leave?

I met him, briefly on a protest march. Seemed like a nice bloke at the time.

But I can wholly understand Brian Paddick’s stance.

So does that mean he’s not coming on?

On or out?

This last two years have seen the Liberal Democrats recover since the devastation of the 2015 election. 

That recovery was never inevitable but we have seen the doubling of our party membership, growth in council elections, our first parliamentary by-election win for more than a decade, and most recently our growth at the 2017 general election. 

Most importantly the Liberal Democrats have established ourselves with a significant and distinctive role – passionate about Europe, free trade, strong well-funded public services underpinned by a growing market economy.  

No one else occupies that space.  Against all the odds, the Liberal Democrats matter again.

We can be proud of the progress we have made together, although there is much more we need to do.  

From the very first day of my leadership, I have faced questions about my Christian faith.  I’ve tried to answer with grace and patience.  Sometimes my answers could have been wiser.  

At the start of this election, I found myself under scrutiny again – asked about matters to do with my faith.  I felt guilty that this focus was distracting attention from our campaign, obscuring our message.

Journalists have every right to ask what they see fit.  The consequences of the focus on my faith is that I have found myself torn between living as a faithful Christian and serving as a political leader.   

A better, wiser person than me may have been able to deal with this more successfully, to have remained faithful to Christ while leading a political party in the current environment.   

To be a political leader – especially of a progressive, liberal party in 2017 – and to live as a committed Christian, to hold faithfully to the Bible’s teaching, has felt impossible for me.  

I’m a liberal to my finger tips, and that liberalism means that I am passionate about defending the rights and liberties of people who believe different things to me.   

There are Christians in politics who take the view that they should impose the tenets of faith on society, but I have not taken that approach because I disagree with it – it’s not liberal and it is counterproductive when it comes to advancing the gospel.

Even so, I seem to be the subject of suspicion because of what I believe and who my faith is in.

In which case we are kidding ourselves if we think we yet live in a tolerant, liberal society.

That’s why I have chosen to step down as leader of the Liberal Democrats.

I intend to serve until the parliamentary recess begins next month, at which point there will be a leadership election according to the party’s rules. 

This is a historic time in British politics. What happens in the next months and years will shape our country for generations.

My successor will inherit a party that is needed now more than ever before. Our future as an open, tolerant and united country is at stake.

The cause of British liberalism has never been needed more. People who will fight for a Britain that is confident, generous and compassionate are needed more than ever before.

That is the challenge our party and my successor faces and the opportunity I am certain that they will rise to.

I want to say one more thing: I joined our party when I was 16, it is in my blood, I love our history, our people, I thoroughly love my party.  

Imagine how proud I am to lead this party.  And then imagine what would lead me to voluntarily relinquish that honour.

In the words of Isaac Watts it would have to be something ‘so amazing, so divine, (it) demands my heart, my life, my all’.

Thank you,

Tim
Shame.

chewkw – Member
Tim “shouty shouty” Farron has resigned …

BBC News

Crikey …

Must be you lot questioning his personal belief.

It’s always nice to hear that an irritating squit has resigned.

Got it pencilled into your diary?

crikey, STW would be a bit echoey if we all took that view and action.

He didn’t seem very forceful, and I guess he accepts the questions were relevant and maybe even necessary, but does seem a shame nevertheless. Need a middle ground, definitely.

I agree with you, zippykona.

I admire that he articulated so clearly the idea that

There are Christians in politics who take the view that they should impose the tenets of faith on society, but I have not taken that approach because I disagree with it – it’s not liberal and it is counterproductive when it comes to advancing the gospel.

It is unfortunate that he felt, in the end, he was unable to stay on as leader in spite of that entirely agreeable perspective.

+1 SaxonRider.

It’s a shame, he seemed decent enough, but if I was being objective his performance was pretty poor, they have a much bigger fighting purse than any of the other non-labour/Tory parties but he went fairly under the radar for 2 years whereas UKIP as ever were everywhere on TV and not just Sky.

There are Christians in politics who take the view that they should impose the tenets of faith on society, but I have not taken that approach because I disagree with it – it’s not liberal and it is counterproductive when it comes to advancing the gospel.

I have to say i dont want any politician of any hue to be give one seconds thought the advancement of the gospel as he clearly acknowledges the struggle in squaring the two.

The reality may well be that we are being ever more secular and “extreme” faith is seen as undesirable. Its also notable that I imagine May is as devout [ as was Blair and I think Brown] and they did not get the same level of attention for their faith.

who’d have thought it 6 weeks ago that jeremy corbyn would be the only one still in charge & control of their party…

Seemed a decent chap, seems to also be genuinely conflicted.

I applaud his candour & his honesty.

Cable for LD leader?

I hope it’s Cable

Decent bloke, shame there aren’t any more of them ..

Cable for LD leader?

He’d have to give up his security guard job in Aviemore’s Tesco

Cable … hhhmmm … interesting call that. 😛

Nick Cleg….oh, right.

Seemed a decent chap, seems to also be genuinely conflicted.

I liked Farron from what little I’d seen of him, irony intended. But I’m kinda torn with this.

On the face of it it looks like “personal values appear in conflict with faith ergo faith wins,” and assuming that that’s actually the case rather than just a press smear campaign then my inner Woppit can get behind that as a reason to go.

OTOH, it does feel a bit like a) he was bullied through reports similar to how Corbyn was demonised for not condemning IRA violence when he was condemning all political violence instead, and b) he’s just lost an election and it’s a good a way as any to stand down gracefully.

The 350 million dollar question though is, who’s next in line? My first thought was Cable, but he’s knocking on a bit now and it must surely be more in line with the cool and froody LDs to regenerate into Matt Smith rather than Peter Capaldi.

I was soundly shouted down on a thread on here for pointing out his extreme evangelical Christian views where every word in the bible is 100% true brings him into major fundamental conflict with the liberal ethos.

I was right and he has now accepted this ( not that I was right but that the two are incompatible). You cannot hold the bigoted positions he does and claim to be a liberal

““To be a political leader – especially of a progressive, liberal party in 2017 – and to live as a committed Christian, to hold faithfully to the Bible’s teaching, has felt impossible for me.”

You never know – I might even be able to vote for them again one day

Cable for LD leader?

I’d put a few quid on the recently re-elected Jo Swinson.

Very well thought of and apparently very able – but badly tarnished by the coalition and a carpetbagger in that she is married to another MP in a constituency a long way away but claims they both live in the constituency they represent

You cannot hold the bigoted positions he does and claim to be a liberal

The thing is, tj, none of us would have known his personal, faith-based views if he hadn’t have been challenged on them in interview. I believe (though I could be wrong) that he tried to keep his religious views out of the spotlight; he truly believed that it is possible to legislate as a liberal, even if it meant struggling with the seeming contradictions between his faith and politics, especially as it will have been precisely that faith that informed his liberalism.

to be fair neither of them can really claim to not live in the area they represent so it may well be true that its their “main ” home.

I bet they spend their time together at westminster in the main – do they claim a house each there as well?

badly tarnished by the coalition

I’ve never heard of her, but IME “badly tarnished by the coalition” equates to “the mere the fact that they were in the coalition means they’re all bastards, something something student fees.” They were a minority voice picking their battles, it’ll be interesting to see whether in five years everyone in NI turns on the DUP because they didn’t abolish gay rights and abortion in the UK.

Doesn’t mean that she is or isn’t a shitehawk of course, point is that “tarnished” doesn’t necessarily mean “tarnished for good reasons.”

it will have been precisely that faith that informed his liberalism.

Aye the times when this country was the most religious, or indeed any country, always coincide with them being the most liberal of years . Its just not true.

The reality is much of the Bible is deeply illiberal hence his struggle.

he truly believed that it is possible to legislate as a liberal, even if it meant struggling with the seeming contradictions between his faith and politics

The problem comes when they aren’t reconcilable – which takes priority?

FWIW, from what I’ve seen it does seem like he’s been mauled unfairly over this. that I’ve never really got the impression that his goddy side has got in the way of his political side and he’s only even mentioned it when goaded into it.

tjagain – Member
Very well thought of and apparently very able – but badly tarnished by the coalition and a carpetbagger in that she is married to another MP in a constituency a long way away but claims they both live in the constituency they represent

It’s beginning to look like soap opera or drama now … 😯 😆

time to call foul and time on this continuing witch hunting. not a fan of Tims but hes clearly a comitted christian and in todays holier than thou politics that may cause him issues politically. clearly the DUP dont have issues with it but the right of freedom of speech and beliefs is been severeley restricted here. i dont believe in many things but i do strongly believe in the right of folks to have differing views from min.. as long as they dont force them down my throat at every opportunity and sadly today too many are willing to do just that.. good luck tim.. i hope you find peace.

It is unfortunate that he felt, in the end, he was unable to stay on as leader in spite of that entirely agreeable perspective.

Well others in the Lib Dems seem to have put pressure on Farron. What Farron said is amirable, he put aside personal beliefs for his role as an MP and party leader.

The bottom line is the Lib Dem position on on Brexit / EU was not a winner, in my constituency (previously Lib Dem till 2015) the (Leave campaigning) Tory was returned with a larger majority.

returned with a larger majority.

150?

Jamby has become a SWiss tony but its not a beautiful woman its brexit he fixates on

You really mixed your metaphors there but yes it seems like there is a distrust , of the judgement, of the deeply religious

i do strongly believe in the right of folks to have differing views from min.. as long as they dont force them down my throat at every opportunity

Like say the right to die, compulsory acts of worship in school, forced to study RE Head of state is head of the church , being exempt from discrimination laws etc that sort of thing or something else?

Tim is entitled to believe anything he likes and we are entitled to judge the opinions our politicians hold

I’ve met Vince Cable twice and been singularly unimpressed on both occasions. Even David Cameron was more engaged/engaging during discussions.

but he went fairly under the radar for 2 years whereas UKIP as ever were everywhere on TV and not just Sky.

I am not sure he can be blamed for that.
The media havent exactly covered themselves with glory with regards to their political coverage.

cougar – tarnished with good reasons – they had an oportunbity to moderate the tories and blew it completely thus responsible for 5 years of tory government we did not want nor need.

They were complicit in some awful stuff and were duped.

He’s a homophobe!!! Lynch the bugger.

Why are ‘christians’ so opposed to homosexuality anyway!?! They seem to be obsessed with it.

(The second point is a serious question)

Religious bigot fails to square his leadership of liberal values with his loathing of gay people.

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out…

Its not witchhunting or bullying. If he was not an evangelical then I would agree private faith is fine. However when his 100% adherence to the bible leads him into illiberal and bigoted positions then its fair game

he vote for legalising discrimination on religious grounds, He vote to massively restrict abortion. He is on record as saying abortion is wrong and that homosexuality is a sin.

he tried to weasel out of this but the conflict was too much. Remember this is a man who believes every word in the bible is literally true.

Loddrick – cos it says in the bible homosexuality is a sin and its the duty of every believer to kill homosexuals