Times Radio Discussion with Ed Davey and Layla Moran *** soon ***

[Al1Langdownthecleghole]

Coming up with Matt Chorley.

He is asking for suitable questions via twitter @timesradio and text but I didn't catch the number.

Programme link here. www.thetimes.co.uk/radio/live

Can you report back?

I hate hearing her since the 'women have beards too, teehee' comment.

Not sure what time it is on. An opportunity to get questions in though!

No "What is a woman?" question = No surprise.

Asked in the last few minutes about whether LD have been too woke, ED waffled about needing to prioritise the needs of ordinary people and moved on to education and carers, with an "I'm a carer" pitch.

LM - proud to be woke, if it is standing up for the marginalised - (Cos rich white men are sooo marginalised), but then also went on to talk about broader appeal.

Nothing to see here, and all a bit pre-scripted to my ears.

I agree Leg, neither of them got into the woke issues. I have a feeling there's been a bit of a row back. After their trouncing in the election, they said their woke credentials had nothing to do with their defeat??? However, I did point out to them that my friends and I 'rabid remainers' were going to vote for them until they told us that gender was assigned and more or less implied a lot of fuss was made about sex??? the 'Doctor' who said that lost her seat.....mmm

I had a listen - it was as expected. Laila confirmed being woke as that means caring for the marginalised etc
Ed trying to get the convo back to more mainstream issues - carers seem to be something he might campaign on

Both hugely pro europe as you would expect.

By the way, I love this new show on Times Radio. Matt Chorley is funny but also seems to know his stuff. He gets very interesting guests.
If you are normally a radio 4 type (like me) then this is a very good alternative to the more earnest/ negative stuff on Radio 4 so I would recommend you give it a go
Mariela Frostrupp has the show after Matt Chorley .

A lot of rank-and-file canvassers and doorknockers reported getting that response on the doorstep during the election @highame, and were told by the party that the LibDems don't want the votes of bigots.

Given that a lot of these supporters are part of the local government community and have relied on many of these voters for years now, there was some quite vocal reaction to that response.

Both leadership contenders now have to try to please both camps, the blue haired lot and the socks and sandals lot. Hence the rowing back

This is the response I got when I recently emailed Ed Davey. I expected better, and replied saying that they had now lost my vote permanently.

Thank you for your recent email.
Liberal Democrats have long stood up for minority rights and will continue to do so – and this includes supporting trans rights. I’m proud that Liberal Democrats exist to safeguard a free and fair society and we want to enable everyone to have the opportunity to be themselves. We are very clear that supporting trans rights does not contradict supporting women: the law already makes clear that trans women are women.|

Liberal Democrats do not condone the invasion of women-only spaces by men, a proposal that is not being considered in any way. However, the Liberal Democrats acknowledge that trans women are women, so are fully welcome and entitled to use single sex spaces. Although I know some party members disagree with that position, it is an established policy that I am determined to uphold.

It is also worth reminding ourselves of our proposals. All individuals who receive a Gender Recognition Certificate would have to be 18 or older. We would also keep the requirements for a legal declaration that someone intends to live permanently in that gender until death, and proof that this person has lived in that gender for at least 2 years in order to receive a Gender Recognition Certificate.

I hope this helps to clarify my position. Thanks again for getting in touch.

Rowing back, Xanthangum? How have either of them rowed back at all?

Has Layla Moran lost her ability to see souls?

By the way, I love this new show on Times Radio. Matt Chorley is funny but also seems to know his stuff. Completely off piste but Matts comments on Chris Grayling had me falling off my chair🤣

@borntobequiet

This is the response I got when I recently emailed Ed Davey. I expected better, and replied saying that they had now lost my vote permanently.

Thank you for your recent email.
Liberal Democrats have long stood up for minority rights and will continue to do so – and this includes supporting trans rights. I’m proud that Liberal Democrats exist to safeguard a free and fair society and we want to enable everyone to have the opportunity to be themselves. We are very clear that supporting trans rights does not contradict supporting women: the law already makes clear that trans women are women.|

Liberal Democrats do not condone the invasion of women-only spaces by men, a proposal that is not being considered in any way. However, the Liberal Democrats acknowledge that trans women are women, so are fully welcome and entitled to use single sex spaces. Although I know some party members disagree with that position, it is an established policy that I am determined to uphold.

It is also worth reminding ourselves of our proposals. All individuals who receive a Gender Recognition Certificate would have to be 18 or older. We would also keep the requirements for a legal declaration that someone intends to live permanently in that gender until death, and proof that this person has lived in that gender for at least 2 years in order to receive a Gender Recognition Certificate.

I hope this helps to clarify my position. Thanks again for getting in touch.

Right, so the lib dems do not recognise the EA? Good to know.

@Cwenthryth, sorry for not being clear - by rowing back I mean neither candidate is putting trans people front and centre, they are toning down the rhetoric and referring to protecting all vulnerable, marginalised and minority groups. It's a subtle change of focus rather than a u-turn, but I think for both of them it's a pragmatic balance designed to placate both edges of the party members.

When one or the other becomes leader I would expect a less wooly position. But as I say, the thing to watch will be conference motions.

By the way, I love this new show on Times Radio. Matt Chorley is funny but also seems to know his stuff. He gets very interesting guests

Me too. And the breakfast show. I like the longer, more ranging interviews and hope they keep them and it’s not a new show with lots of airtime to fill thing.

I’m also trying to like Mariella, but that’s not going so well.

Mariella doesn't do it for me either, so I switch off just to make it obvious
When one or the other becomes leader I would expect a less wooly position. But as I say, the thing to watch will be conference motions. I think they're hoping that Jo Swinson was really the problem and that they'll get lovely opinion poll numbers when the new one takes over. I think that fairy tale is well and truly ended

I’m also trying to like Mariella, but that’s not going so well

I really admire what Mariella has achieved, following a difficult childhood. Unlike many other celebs, she succeeded through hard work, not family connections. But I just cannot like her on the radio. She's not really a journalist, and it shows.