Lord Paddick resigns the LGBT LD executive

[RedToothBrush]

LGBT+LD @ lgbtlb
Public statement by the LGBT+ Liberal Democrats executive regarding the resignation of our honorary president, Lord Paddick:
1/4
The LGBT+ Liberal Democrats executive has reluctantly accepted the resignation of Lord Paddick as our honorary president.
2/4
Lord Paddick previously tended his resignation, which we declined when he made certain undertakings about his meeting with a group set up to oppose transgender equality legislation.
3/4
We regret that those undertakings have not been honoured. Subsequently Lord Paddick tended his resignation again, which has been accepted.
4/4

Lord Paddick has form for resigning

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brian-lord-paddick-quits-over-tim-farron-gay-sex-comments-lib-dem-liberal-democrat-general-election-a7789816.html%3famp
Lord Paddick quits as Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokespeson following furore over leader Tim Farron's views on gay sex
The former Lib Dem London Mayoral candidate said the decision had been made 'weeks ago.'

He quit as LD home affairs spokesperson as he was uncomfortable with Tim Farron's views on gay marriage. The resignation prompted Farron's ultimately. He is an important and influential figure in the party.

I'm not quite sure what's going on here or why. It sounds like the LGBT LD didn't want him to resign. It sounds like its connected to trans issues and Paddick's position. The timing is interesting.

I don't want to read too much into this. But its suggesting a split in opinion and approach. (I don't believe this shows that Paddick is pro-women's rights. I suspect he is more pro-due process, at least at this stage). And that its damaging to the executive as a whole.

When is the meeting with Paddick scheduled for? It could be very interesting now. Looks like Paddick really is sticking his neck out.

[OlennasWimple]

Maybe Paddick has read a bit of the drivel put out by the LD LGBT+ Twitter account and decided he doesn't want to be associated with them...?

[Weezol]

It may well be one of the LD's attempts to make themselves credible again.
If it is, they should probably start by learning the difference between 'tended' and 'tendered' when releasing a statement.

[RedToothBrush]

Brian Paddick pinned a tweet 4hrs ago.

It was part of a thread started by a woman's place.

Brian Paddick @ brianpaddick
Sadly, and genuinely it makes me very sad, there is a lot of hatred & bitterness on both sides. I know because I get it from both sides. Which is why I am no longer participating in any further discussion on twitter on feminist/transgender issues.

The previous tweets in the thread read as follows:

Woman's Place Uk @ woman'splaceuk
Woman’s Place UK was formed last year to platform women’s voices after incidents where women were threatened and assaulted for voicing concerns on the GRA.

Our focus is on preserving and improving the rights of women and making sure their voices and concerns are heard and their rights upheld. This is our primary function.

Politicians need to act to guarantee women’s voices will be heard and their concerns addressed free from threat, abuse, harassment or violence. So far, they have failed. So our campaign continues.

Brian Paddick @ brianpaddick (16hrs ago)
I’m meeting representatives of @WomansPlaceUK soon to listen, understand & seriously consider their genuinely-held concerns. I will hold a similar meeting with representatives of the transgender community. It would be helpful if my genuine attempts to consult are supported.

In response to that particular tweet woman's place replied

Woman's Place Uk @ woman'splaceuk
We are really Woman's Place Uk @ woman'splaceuk to be meeting you and look forward to the discussion. Thank you for stepping up.

So something happened between him tweeting in response to women's place and pinning the tweet.

He does not sound a happy bunny and he doesn't sound happy with how its played out on twitter.

[JustAnotherSpartacus]

Paddick has publicly said he is meeting with A Womans Place soon and was getting criticised by some for it on twitter (I am blocked by a load of people, via some terf blocker thing, but the discussion is worth a look )

"I’m meeting representatives of @WomansPlaceUK soon to listen, understand & seriously consider their genuinely-held concerns. I will hold a similar meeting with representatives of the transgender community. It would be helpful if my genuine attempts to consult are supported." twitter.com/brianpaddick/status/986865233426898945

He got this response from the (crazy) Lib Dem LGBT twitter group

"You told us there would be no publicity about your meeting with transphobes.

This is a bit like publicity, isn’t it?" twitter.com/LGBTLD/status/987030412017963008

[RedToothBrush]

What he has retweeted today is an interesting. He seems to be taking more of a Debbie Hayton approach towards reconciliation.

[Pratchet]

Thank you for this update.

[R0wantrees]

I think its fairly obvious that whomever is managing the LibDem LGBT+ twitter account is more TRA than liberal or democratic....

[RedToothBrush]

More than obvious. They are doing a lot of damage to the reputation of the party. Paddick seems to have had quite a run in with them.

[Pratchet]

Please take the bums off the page

[R0wantrees]

I think that when things come 'out in the wash', it will be apparent that there are influential members of LibDem, WEP, Labour, Greens who are more driven by commitment to TRA than the political party they represent...

[OlennasWimple]

when he made certain undertakings about his meeting with a group set up to oppose transgender equality legislation

This, plus the bit about no publicity, suggests that they had an argument which ended in "Ok, go and see those nasty TERFs but don't tell anyone about it". But because they can't actually tell him what to do, and he isn't going to be told what to do by blue haired shouty types who have no idea what it's like to be on the receiving end of real hatred and abuse, and because meeting with Women's Place is not something shameful to be hidden, they are throwing their toys around.

[RedToothBrush]

Agree R0wantrees

The significant point here for me is that Paddick is well respected and actually in the Lords.

If this hits parliament, he is in a position to table amendments to any changes and to influence/persuade others of their need.

He might not yet oppose Self ID, but my gut feeling is his desire to try and reconcile different groups, does make me think amendments and exception clauses are more likely.

He appears to have done the much needed stepping up, i'd hoped for. I hope others follow his lead and take time to listen. The LGBT LD executive are extremists and need to be treated as such. It appears Paddick is slowly coming to that conclusion himself from what I can see.

[R0wantrees]

am cautiously hopeful....

[OvaHere]

Regardless of what conclusion he eventually comes to about WPUK and self ID I think he's had a sharp awakening as to how toxic and how much of a loose cannon the group behind that twitter feed are. This is him quite sensibly distancing himself.

[RedToothBrush]

Its progress. And definitely significant. The fact Paddick is a man and is gay means the TRAs can't throw the same.abuse and arguments at him. Certainly they can not use the section 28, wrong side of history thing. Unfortunately such is the nature of the debate, I don't believe a woman MP or Lord could necessarily be the first to take such a line.

I am very reluctant to pin any more hope than that on him though. I can't for my own sanity. I just have to believe in the merits of the argument now and trust that he listens to that with an open mind. But the fact he's at this point does make me a lot more hopeful and makes me think others will put their heads above the parapet in time.

[RedToothBrush]

Ovahere, yes indeed. That in its own right is important.

[R0wantrees]

There have been a number of complaints made to LibDems from members about the LibDem LGBT twitter account managers and those who may be using this account.

[Waddlelikeapenguin]

I'm hopeful (& annoyed that I'm hopeful i keep assuming logic will make the whole thing go pop but clearly that isnt happening - and almost certainly nothing is happening quickly enough to stop the snp )

[Waddlelikeapenguin]

Sorry for the stream of consciousness bollocks!!
Thanks for posting.

[CircleSquareCircleSquare]

This is interesting, isn’t it?
I wonder how this will progress.

[qumquat]

It worries me that he's suggesting in his pinned tweet that both sides are as bad as each other.

[SwearyGodPervert]

That’s progress qumquat as he had said befor and iirc pinned a tweet apologising to LGBT types for even daring to ask why feminists are bothered by this. That was after he first said he wanted to speak to feminists and was jumped on by the loopy LD LGBT twitter account and a couple of beardy dudebros.

I think he’s meeting Karen Ingala-Smith as well as WPUK. I think when he does he’ll start to see that feminists aren’t the ones causing issues or threatening violence. They’re getting (rightly) cross on twitter but that’s not the same. As he’s only seeing it on twitter, and is desperate to appease both sides, his comments that we’re all as bad as each other can be understood.

[Anlaf]

it worries me that he's suggesting in his pinned tweet that both sides are as bad as each other.

Yes quite. Will cautiously await his further thoughts once he's met A Women's Place.

[MsBeaujangles]

I think he was saying there is intolerance and hatred on both sides, which I agree with. I don't think WPUK is spouting any intolerance or hatred but there is some be spouted by gender critical posters (or people claiming to be GC) on Twitter.
As per BP's tweet about what he hoped for, WPUK will be pleased that he is wanting to hear from 'both sides', and they do not want to control or limit who else he wants to consult with.
The TRAs rightfully fear voices like WPUK being heard as it doesn't take long for people to discover the interests/wants of many women are not fuelled by transphobia but by legitimate concerns.
Whatever BP concludes, having completed his consultation, so long as he has conducted it with an open mind and with critical thought, he will have done his job well.

[MsBeaujangles]

I am also pleased that he has declared that he will HT debate this issue on Twitter. Twitter has become so adversarial on these issues that this seems a really important step for anyone wanting to be involved in moving things forward