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

DamnItCoral, I just think its a waste of a question. Saying that My local Mp likes to charge the tax payer for his biscuits which is disgusting.

Really impressed with Tims answers today. Already more answered than Corbyns webchat. I'm definitely swaying towards voting lib dem

Tim - of course Neva ! :)

@noblegiraffe

Hi Tim,

What do you think about tactical voting? My seat is between the conservatives and Labour, with the Lib Dems polling behind UKIP. Wouldn't a vote for the Lib Dems just be wasted?

It's not for me to tell people how they use their vote. Obviously, I want people to back the Liberal Democrats as the more seats and votes we get the more we can build a case for our vision of a different country.

But you must make your own choice. I'm bound to say that I would certainly appeal to those people who are thinking of voting Labour or Green in an area where the Lib Dems could win, to consider lending us their support to defeat the Conservatives.

If your still here Tim what do you think of Mr Corbyn?

@Figmentofmyimagination

Hi Tim

At the risk of sounding like a groupie, just wanted to say I brought my two teenagers to hear you at the second pro-EU rally in London and you won the vote of my eldest (20). You would have won the vote of the youngest too, but since she won't turn 18 until September (grrr) she gets no say, even though she stands to be the worst affected of the lot of us.

What do you think about lowering the voting age to 16?

I've always been in favour of lowering the voting age to 16. Indeed I voted for it on numerous occasions in the House of Commons and will do again. We should treat young people with the respect they deserve and give them a vote on their future.

Thank you for answering my question. Doesn't help me with the £680 train ticket he'll need but would bring the bus journey part down to £120. Now if the local bus companies provided a better service between my town and the next (all of 4 miles away)....but that's a whole new can of worms! Good luck in the election.

(BTW, we're not rural - 5 miles away from junction 10 of the M4 - public transport is sadly rubbish everywhere nowadays.)

On this thread alone a man dying of throat cancer has been told he must complete a work related telephone interview, a woman has been told to put her 2 year old in temp foster care while Universal credit application drags their heels and a widow has STILL not received anything,...........her husband died on April 29th.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2941906-The-horror-of-Universal-Credit?pg=1

@noblegiraffe

Ah, you've already answered my question, sorry. Can I ask another?

Do you think that education should be taken out of the hands of policitians?

Yes.

Alongside the cuts, the other thing that damages our schools so much is that each new secretary of state seeks to impose on schools their latest ideological fad, when we should simply trust teachers to get on with what they're good at: teaching our children.

Thanks for answering my question Tim, it is nice that you have answered a heap of them x

Tim, if you can sort out the education system so teachers are not under so much pressure and scrutiny for so little gain, I would return to teaching.

Thanks for answering both questions Tim! You're really powering through them aren't you?!

There's been a lot of rumours the last few days about this "land value tax" which has been mentioned (as a potential idea) by Labour.

Would the Lib Dems consider something like this at all? Or would you leave the current council tax in place?

These are really great answers.

Mucky pup, as long as we have first past the post you have to look at it on a constituency by constituency basis I'd say.

@Istoletherainbow

Hi Tim,

I'm an undecided voter. I was swaying more towards Lib Dem, but then I heard you refused to answer whether or not you believe gay sex is a sin. As someone in a same sex relationship myself, this concerned me.

Thanks

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39703444

Tim, you've been fantastic on this webchat & I sincerely hope you remain as leader of the Lib Dems post election.

Lots of luck & good wishes to you

Just want to say you did well on the leadership programme the other night and I enjoyed your Bake Off comment. Wish we could dump our First Past the Post system. Stuck in a Tory stronghold here. :(

Or should that be stranglehold?

@PigletWasPoohsFriend

Hi Tim

Would you go into a formal coalition in the case of a hung parliament?

No!

Alongside the cuts, the other thing that damages our schools so much is that each new secretary of state seeks to impose on schools their latest ideological fad, when we should simply trust teachers to get on with what they're good at: teaching our children. If only Labour and Tories understood this but politicians have to be seen doing something. i think Estelle Morris said 'There is time when doing nothing is the best idea.'

That exclamation mark speaks volumes about the period 2010-15

@TerryTriceratops

Hi Tim. I am a historian who has specialised in the suffragette movement. My husband works in politics. We've been devastated by the referendum result and politics since then. For the first time ever, we feel like not voting in the election. Why should we?

Because the Britain we love is not lost yet. We offer you the opportunity to have a vote on the Brexit deal which means that if the deal is rejected, Britain could still remain if that's what the British people wanted. I'm in no mood for giving up - please stick with us!

See Tim, you would not go into coalation, and Corbyn has said he will not, where does that leave the country and is that not a bit selfish of you all???? because it leaves us as a country screwed and another 5 years of the Tories. How is that fair to us?

Hi Tim

Were you as excited to be endorsed by the Economist as you will inevitably be by the favourable endorsement of so many posters on this fab WebChat?

(not really allowed a second question, I know)

Hi Tim - lifetime LibDem supporter and party member here. I just want to wish you luck on Thursday, and to thank you for moving our party closer to its roots.

A coalition with Labout Snp and Lib dems would be excellent. It would be just what the country needs.