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

Why was he being so argumentative with Andrew Neil and why wont he answer any questions from him?

I would like to say if you had not jumped into bed with the Tories, you could have won this election, how do you feel about that?????

Hi Tim,

Just watched you on Andrew Neill - exactly the same as Corbyn & May - deliberately avoiding answering the questions put to you.

As you didn't answer Andrew Neill on this point, perhaps you could answer here:

You propose a referendum on the 'final deal'; if the deal is not to stay entirely as a fully signed up member of the single market (with all that entails, such as FoM etc), will you campaign to remain within the EU?

That is: is your 'red line' loss of total & complete membership to the single market?

Hi Tim

I don't plan to vote for you because of the Brexit issue. People voted, a democratic result given and this posted upthread by Charm sums up my concern 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.

My first question is what are you going to do to balance out the North-South divide? You seem committed to spending millions on HS2 which is yet more transport in the South while we struggle to get anywhere except by car up here in the North West

Question 2 is about fracking. The current government seems determined to ride roughshod over people and councils to test this out on the North (as suggested by Nicholas Soames). I am worried that the homes, businesses, health and countryside will be polluted, ruined and worthless. What are your plans?

Just wanted to add I too would have voted Libdem until your policy in Brexit became clear. We voted to leave and that's clear enough - to me your going back on democracy.

As a Christian I'd like to ask you how your faith influences your politics?

Hello Tim, I'm not going to vote lib dem although I have done in the past. The reason is that our lib dem candidate looks a bit bussed-in and as if he has no clue about our area or the concerns of local people. I'm in a safe labour seat so it makes no difference anyway, and I'm not unhappy about our current MP, he seems to be on the ball and working hard.

My question is: For people who are not voting lib dem this time round, what is the best way for us to register our dissent wrt brexit and, if it is going to happen (which it is) what is the best way for us to campaign for the softest brexit possible?

Which party's government do you think you'll be begging for your 15 minutes of fame in this time?

Hi Tim,

I have two teenagers. I have been hammering home the message that drugs such as cannabis endanger their mental health. How can I dissuade them from smoking cannabis if it is legalised? Surely they will tell me it's all fine and not dangerous if it can be bought in a local shop.

Thanks

Don't want to derail but really couldn't let this statement stand unchallenged:

"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."

This is absolutely not true.

I thought exactly the same Kaija

Hi Tim,

I'm a natural Lib Dem voter and used to be a party member until Caroline Pidgeon's twitter gaffe in the run up to the Mayoral election was just quietly ignored instead of apologised for. I'm still undecided.

But I'm asking my question on behalf of my parents really, who are also natural Lib Dem voters but who won't be voting LD because of their candidate (South Cambridgeshire), who has proven herself to be rather spineless and avoids difficult questions.

• How do you vet your candidates beyond the usual test on knowing LD policies? Do they just need to be elected by their local party or is there more oversight from the head office where complaints and/or actual record of conduct are taken into account?

Hi Tim,

I'm a passionate remainer who would like nothing more than to pretend the last year hasn't happened.

However, I have major concerns over your promise to deliver a second referendum on the terms of the deal. It is my understanding that there is no clear legal agreement on whether or not Brexit can be reversed now that Article 50 has been triggered.

The EU referendum was ill-thought-out, with little regard for what the consequences of a leave vote were or how the result should be implemented.

With no guarantees on what the legal position is if the UK "changes its mind", how will your proposed second referendum ensure that we are not once again propelled into chaos by not fully considering the consequences of any vote?

Much as I would like to think we can alter the course that has been set, I feel it's a little naive to think we will be able to turn back from Brexit without unintended consequences.

Interesting point bossadad - what will happen to pollution levels when we are no longer in the EU and no one is attempting to limit in? I.e. when we no longer have the Pollution Police?

Tim

Labour's Barry Gardner said on question time last night that we are leaving the EU for 'political not economic reasons'. I found this a staggering statement, with which David Davis did not disagree.

Do you agree with BG? Isn't this a false dichotomy? Why can't anybody make a sound economic case for leaving the EU, and if they can't, is it enough to go forward on a policy everyone seems to agree does not make economic sense because it is the 'will of the people' (ie on their head be it)?

Tim

Thank you for agreeing to speak to us.

I work in the NHS and I'm horrified at the pressures budgets are under. Social care is creaking at the seams.

What do the LibDems propose to get us out of this mess?

Oh, and I really support your policy of a referendum on the Brexit deal. Thank you for your courage and clarity on this.

Hi Tim,

I grew up in Kendal, know you to be a great local MP and would love to vote Lib Dem next week. I'm a member of the Lib Dem party.

However, I live in the Buckingham constituency and understand that you blocked our proposed Lib Dem candidate from standing, leaving nearly 80000 people disenfranchised yet again. Can I ask why you did that and whether you would want to change the situation in the speaker's seat in the future?

Women's Hour have stated you have openly said abortion is wrong and you have abstained on various private bills regarding abortion.

Why should women vote for you when you want to act against our bodies/rights/lives like this?

I do like your policy to legislate and tax marijuana though - great idea.

Hi Tim
Thanks for being part of this question session.
As someone who is undecided at the moment on which party to vote for. In one sentence...why should I vote for the Lib Dems?
Thanks
Mainy

Is Theresa May using purdah as an excuse, when she failed to sign the letter condemning Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement?

Tim welcome

I think that the funding of education and our health service needs a complete rethink. What would you do if you were Prime Minister?

Hi Tim,

Jeremy Corbyn famously accepted a pringle through a fence last night. What are your thoughts on the tasty snack - would you accept one if offered, or are you more of a Jacob's Cracker Crisps sorta guy?

(asking for a friend)

test

Tim?
It's 1pm on Friday 2nd June; where are you??!!

xpost!