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Tim Farron 'to quit as leader of the Liberal Democrats' https://t.co/URHrPlV5no pic.twitter.com/SBpcjKehDW
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So Tim is upset that some liberals aren't tolerant of his conservative Christian views. Interesting.
Anyone but Vince.
EDIT: See statement.
https://twitter.com/larisamlbrown/status/875045165777473537
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.
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
Surely Norman Lamb is nailed on as next leader?
https://twitter.com/SpecCoffeeHouse/status/875045200040783872
There is growing anger among Tory MPs that May has misplayed her hand in these negotiations. By announcing that the Conservatives would govern in conjunction with the DUP, she made it so that any failure to do so would look like weakness. MPs believe that entering into a formal agreement with the DUP is not in the party’s interest as (a) given the DUP’s record on LGBT rights, it risks toxifying the Tory brand by association, and (b) it means the power is with the DUP.
They reckon May ought to have called their bluff. After all, the alternative for the unionists to voting with the Conservatives is a Corbyn-led government and given the low regard Foster’s party hold the Labour leader in, they’re unlikely to do that anytime soon.
Swinson was talked about as next leader even when our polling position was so bad she wasn't favourite to win her seat.
Foolish comment MM. Unworthy of you.
https://twitter.com/taralepore/status/875006506437160960
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/14/miracle-rescue-desperate-elderly-man-saved-grenfell-tower-12/
To some extent, then, fire separation worked within the building, as opposed to the exterior.
I'm SHOCKED
SHOCKED I tell you.
The christian faith thing was a bit of a sideshow.
https://twitter.com/TomMcTague/status/875044650570199040
And recent Tory Cabinets have not been without duds.
Which LibDem ended up in prison but didn't lose their seat ?
#FeelsOld
Paul Waugh reports that all Whips have been confirmed in their positions.
So that would be Alan Campbell, Mark Tami, Jessica Morden, Judith Cummins, Vicky Foxcroft, Chris Elmore, Thangam Debbonaire, Nick Smith, Jeff Smith, Karl Turner, Nik Dakin
Beliefs are strong in both sides of the argument.
He himself admits in his statement that he found it difficult reconciling his faith with leading an avowedly liberal party.
To expect the media (or his political opponents) to studiously ignore this potential issue during the election campaign is surely to hold them to a standard far higher than you would expect for (say) Corbyn, May or Abbott ?
Such treatment is part and parcel of participating in the democratic process. And always has been.
I assume he will stay on as an MP?
But I'd count resigning in disgrace having been sent to the wrong sort of other place counts as losing their seat.
And Eastleigh went Con in 2015 as well.
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'.
What was it? I think it was God.
Her Chiefs of Staff are gone.
Her Chancellor is someone she wanted to sack, but is now making demands of her.
She wanted to demote Boris to the Party Chairmanship, is now keeping her in power.
All self inflicted wounds, but there we are.
Meanwhile, it's interesting to know that Private Eye lurk on PB.
I'm pretty sure that a) 10 mins ago the market said Farron was the winner, just after suspension and b) the list was of main party - not UKIP.
Anyone else?
Do we have a Tory like that?
(The above isn't a code for a Remain BINO sell out either)
https://twitter.com/GuidoFawkes/status/875052138547826688
I wonder if a Muslim leader would have been asked the same questions? I suspect not.
I respect his beliefs, and while I might not share them I wouldn't dream of suggesting that he ought not to hold them - but if so strongly held, then their incompatibility with leading a secular liberal party was always going to be there.
Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Shadow Minister for the Constitutional Convention: Andrew Gwynne. He replaces Teresa Pearce who already said some months ago she would going to step down from the role
Shadow Secretary for Scotland: Lesley Laird
Shadow Secretary for Northern Ireland: Owen Smith
Shadow minister for Diverse communities: Dawn Butler
Anyone but Boris.
But I can't vote for David Davis, or what I call the headbanging Tombstone group/Hard Brexit gives them the wood.
"And for you Owen"
"Northern Ireland"
All cabinet ministers get marks for staying the course against the odds. Cable more so as he was essential for keeping his wing of the LibDems on board. Barely a week passed without ill informed comment on Vince leaving. In fact he was totally committed to the Coalition - ensuring "strong and stable government". Remember that?
Many moons ago Mrs T thought privatizing the Post Office utterly impossible. If you'd have told her a LibDem would have championed it into fruition she'd have had you locked up for your own safety.
Cable, Davey and all the LibDem ministers have plenty of credit in the bank in my view. I have little doubt they knew that the junior partner was in for a shellacking at the 2015 election. In 2010 they put the country first. The nation was not grateful five years later. Politics is a brutal business, twas ever thus.
"Has beens who never were" you say - Wildly off the mark old chap.
If you need to work in partnership, you don't want a deal that's too good, because you don't want a resentful partner. The DUP need to remember that.