Webchat with Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, on Friday 2 June at 1pm

[BojanaMumsnet]

Hello

We’re pleased to announce a webchat with Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, on Friday 2 June at 1pm.

Tim has been MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale since 2005 and was elected leader of the Lib Dems in July 2015. He has also held roles as party spokesman for youth, rural affairs and home affairs, as well as being national party president from 2011 to 2015.

The Lib Dem manifesto for the election on June 8 includes a second referendum on the Brexit deal, a 1p income tax increase to raise funds for the NHS and social care, opposition to the planned expansion of grammar schools, the extension of free childcare to all two-year-olds, and an additional month’s paid paternity leave for fathers.

Please do join the chat on Friday at 1pm, or if you can’t make it, leave a question here in advance. Please do share the webchat on social - the more, the merrier!

As always, please remember our webchat guidelines - one question each, follow-ups if there’s time and please keep it civil.

(As we approach the General Election we will endeavour to offer you a balanced diet of webchats with politicians from different parties; we hope to have more announcements soon.)

Thanks
MNHQ

Ooh this is good and exciting news. Did you tell him how long a webchat is meant to last?

Tim, I feel as though you are bringing the Lib Dems back to their core values and I hope this can win you back some who were put off by the coalition and voted for other parties in 2015.

Somehow the Lib Dems have managed to take all the blame and none of the credit for the changes made by the 2010-2015 coalition government. In an election where many voters are complaining that there isn't enough experience on the front benches, what do you think the Lib Dems should be proudest of about your last experience of government, and why are you distancing yourself from those achievements?

Tim

What lessons have you learned from your last general election campaign and how are you engaging with potential voters to consider the Liberal Democrats as a viable alternative to the two main parties?

I live in a safe Conservative seat, but I'm not a natural conservative. I haven't had any information from the Lib Dem candidate- let alone any door to door canvassing. It is disappointing. I don't think there will be any change without ground roots involvement.

Welcome Mr Farron, I hope you were less tardy than Mr Corbyn and can stay a little longer!

During the EU referendum campaign it was made entirely clear by all parties that a vote to leave the EU was a vote to leave the single market. Your manifesto states that the LibDems will seek for the UK to remain a member of the single market, and indeed gives the option of a referendum choice to remain fully in the EU.

Given that the majority of those who bothered to vote in the EU referendum voted to leave the EU, and your tweet of 16 May 2016 disparaged Nigel Farage for suggesting a second referendum if the margin was small, can you really justify dragging the UK through a cycle of Neverendums (how could you guarantee that this would be the last)?

Hi Tim, thank you for engaging with us.

I'm hoping to vote LD on the 9th. Our seat was a recent gain by Con from LD and I think there's a great chance LD could win it back.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the transgender debate. As Liberals of course we support a persons right to dress and present themselves as they.choose.... How do you propose to reconcile this with the rights of women, especially when thinking about toilet facilities, hospital wards, sports and prisons?

Many thanks

NC could you make it the 8th? It's Conservative and UKIP voters for the 9th.

DSs first ever school trip on the 9th! Subconsciously that is obviously the more important date!

Tim,

Would you rather be attacked by 20 duck sized horses or one, horse sized duck?

Will you stay for an hour?
I've already voted for the Tories. Was I wrong?

Hi Tim,

You've rather let me down I'm afraid!

I think you come across as a nice guy, with good ideas & you have been consistent in keeping any personal beliefs entirely separate to your liberal & democratic principles.

You have the common touch, and I agree with most of your policies - I naturally feel I ally with Lib Dem than the other parties & have voted Lib Dem in past elections.

However!
You lost my vote when you became the Remain Party.
I voted Brexit & cannot vote for your party solely for that reason - I suspect there are many more like me.

My question is this:

Why have you styled yourself as a single issue party - the anti-UKIP?
You have woefully misread the mood of the country I think which is a shame.

I'm sure you'll have my vote again in another election, just not this one I'm afraid 😟

P.s. Please stay longer than that charlatan Corbyn & don't treat 'the mummies' like a fluffy headed bunch of fools - it goes down like a bucket of cold sick.

What's your favourite brand of fish finger?

Tim,
Do you feel that the press unfairly targeted your reluctance to discuss religion and gay sex, and more broadly, what do you think about changing the way the press is regulated to improve standards of journalism?
(We all know how a vigorous regulatory body can change an entire profession, just look at teaching...)

I desperately want to vote LibDem but I'm worried that a vote for LibDem will translate into a vote for Labour. What will happen if there is a hung Parliament - who will you go into coalition with?

Hi Tim

With newly trained teachers leaving the profession in record numbers, how do you plan to recruit and maintain teacher numbers when morale amongst teachers is currently so low.

My sister was a highly qualified music teacher and left the profession because of the stress of the job so would be interested to hear answers.

Many thanks

I am very concerned about the decriminalisation of the buying of sex

Would this policy be subject to further research before implementation?

Although i didn't relish another Referendum campaign, I was initially favourably disposed to the concept that, as we hadn't voted on the type of Brexit and given the gravity of the matter, the public should be offered the opportunity to vote on the outcome of the negotiations.

However, upon reflection, if a Referendum was agreed, the EU, keen for the UK not to leave, would very likely offer the worst possible deal, with the British public then offered a Hobson's Choice... it just seems like an underhand way of trying to force people into voting Remain. Of course, being proud of their freedom, the British may react badly to such an offer and vote to leave anyway, leaving us in a far worse state than need have been the case. It would have been far better for the Lib Dems to have campaigned for a soft (very soft even) Brexit rather than promote something that tries to undo the original result.

Like all the main parties you plan to continue with hs2. What is your justification for this unaffordable project that is again so London centred? It goes nowhere near me so I have no personal axe to grind, but I know that
London to birmingham by train already takes only 80 minutes. Why not stop this massive destructive project and look to building railways that we actually need?

charmagedon- good post.

SERIOUSLY HQ!!!!! Don't you EVER learn? its a complete waste of mn time, these people don't answer the important questions- why the hell do you persist?

Anyway, Mr F.

DEMOCRAT- clues in the name. Accept the bloody Brexit result. I have (remainer here). WE ARE LEAVING. We haven't sunk into the sea, Europe is NOT a planet, there's a whole world out there, we are called Great Britain for a reason, we did well for centuries before joining the EU and we will continue after Brexit.

recession- how many while in the EU?
unemployment- ditto.
Racism- ditto.

The referendum is not a tennis match, (best of 3- and btw just say there WAs another ref and the results the same, what then eh?)and Brexiteers are NOT thick, uneducated and xenophobic.

and I AM concerned about the mass immigration stretching services and housing BTW.

As for your sudden 'change of heart' regarding your religious views on abortion and Gays- well words almost fail me.

Just to get votes. and no, religious views cannot be separated from politics as laws may come in due to religious views.

lets see if you read this post and accept it.

Oh, forgot to add, a Christian wanting drugs to be legal???????????????

As a pro choice and childfree by choice woman i would like you to clarify your views on abortion and abortion rights.

What would you do about the DLA/ PIP fiasco. The way the system is now my 67 year old husband who has ischemic heart disease and emphysema will be facing assessments on repeat into his 70s as will many others.

Helena, I so wish one of these politicians would answer this question I have yet too hear anyone's views on this, makes me so cross its cruel & inhuman beyond belief.

Qui great comments, pity he won't address any of them

Well no user he will probably answer the questions that are put to him

Jeremy managed a comment on a non-question, and he was only here for 11 questions/20 minutes

Holidaytime17
I am voting for you. Many people that have never voted before have signed up to vote because of you.

Thanks very much - the campaign is enjoyable and inspiring. I love the innovative art on the campaign trail, including chocolates and cakes!

I'm proud of our manifesto: for the many, not the few.

I don't want to ask a question, you already have my vote.

I wanted to say thanks. Thank you for speaking up for the people who think Brexit is a shambles and for fighting to show how we can't afford well funded public services as well as Brexit.

Welcome Tim,

I posted a question for Jeremy Corbyn about university fees, but he ran out of time to answer it. So I'd like to ask you something related...

I went to university for free. Maybe you did too. I'm glad I did not pay £37000 for my four year course (oh plus living expenses!) because my career has never been a great earner. What are your views on paying for university education? Thanks :-)