Tim Farron quits.

Get in there girl.

Homophobe

Looking forward to wanderlust's post blaming it all on the Tories.

Strange one is this. He actually did better than Cleggy last time round.

I blame the Tories for this

Odd really, He's virtually admitted that he lied throughout the campaign. Having said that, he's got the integrity to pack it all in for his faith, (knowing he wasn't going anywhere, very quickly, will have helped).
I didn't like his politics particularly, but I wish him well.
(Diane Abbot to follow ?   )

Sounds like he'd fit in with the DUP.  not very liberal really

Buggered off as he couldn't handle the pressure. Strange that at the same time Baron Brian Paddick quit also. I couldn't give a flying f*** who is and who isn't gay but you don't go into politics with a closed mind and if your religion is going to cause any conflict whatsoever then you stand back. Dim Tim will now probably end up driving a bus in Preston while Paddick will still have a nice little niche in the House of Lords and the real losers will be the LimpDems.

how's this for a rumour ?

Tim Farron has resigned, not for religious reasons, but so that the LibDems can form a coalition with the Tories. He went as he was so implacably against any union.

I don't believe it myself, but nowadays, anything goes.

gloswhite wrote:how's this for a rumour ?

Tim Farron has resigned, not for religious reasons, but so that the LibDems can form a coalition with the Tories. He went as he was so implacably against any union.

I don't believe it myself, but nowadays, anything goes.

Given the DUP only going for confidence and supply arrangement, no reason why the lib dems couldn't do similar in order to get concessions on what they want, perhaps that is why the tories are happy to go with a queens speech without the DUP being fully signed up to an agreement?

Would turn into a three sided poker game with the tories claiming not to be reliant on any one party and the Libs and DUP having to back each other in order to get any concessions.

Probably more stable in the long run though.

Fabians Right Peg wrote:

gloswhite wrote:how's this for a rumour ?

Tim Farron has resigned, not for religious reasons, but so that the LibDems can form a coalition with the Tories. He went as he was so implacably against any union.

I don't believe it myself, but nowadays, anything goes.

Given the UDP only going for confidence and supply arrangement, no reason why the lib dems couldn't do similar in order to get concessions on what they want, perhaps that is why the tories are happy to go with a queens speech without the UDP being fully signed up to an agreement?

Would turn into a three sided poker game with the tories claiming not to be reliant on any one party and the Libs and UDP having to back each other in order to get any concessions.

Probably more stable in the long run though.

Just for the record the reason the Lib Dem's where down to just 8 MP's was because they formed an unholy alliance with the Tories in 2010,

If they pull that stunt again they will be wiped out next time round, The Tories are not a natural fit for the Liberals, i can't see them being so stupid again

There are lots of problems in such a set up, but at least the Tories would not only have a safer majority, but they could also claim to be including/representing more of the British public.
Who knows, maybe the delay in the talks with the DUP will mean the Lib Dems will be considered.
I still can't see it happening though.

I suspect it will be the Vince Cable show and he's a pragmatist

gloswhite wrote:how's this for a rumour ?

Tim Farron has resigned, not for religious reasons, but so that the LibDems can form a coalition with the Tories. He went as he was so implacably against any union.

I don't believe it myself, but nowadays, anything goes.

It can't happen.

If a Government is not formed within a time limit then another General Election is automatically called for.

As it is Tim will be leader for at least 2 more months, which takes it beyond the legal timeframe, until the leadership elections take place.

Furthermore, only a LibDem MP can put themselves forward to become leader.

As for the resignation itself, it is a strange one.  Yes he upped the number MP by 50% from 8, in last GE, to 12, he also upped the number of people that voted for the party (although the vote share was only fractionally down).  As for the homophobe slurs - that is definitely not the case as Tim has the best record for LGBT rights amongst any of the current leaders, if not all leaders past and present, and his interrogation of whether he agreed with gay-sex was abhorrent - especially as Theresa May, who is a vicars daughter, has the worst record for LGBT rights and even supports anti-LGBT groups, was never interrogated the same way.

What I have read into it is that the pressure of the press has got to him, and wants out to become just a normal MP.  He will still be part of the party and still an active MP, but without the burden of our highly intrusive and irresponsible media (especially certain right-wing foreign owned and non-UK tax based papers)  

Roll on Vince Cable - who had so many run-ins with Gideon Osborne and many of the Tories, and got his own way majority of time, under the coalition - he did fantastic for business, just image what else he can do for other parts of the Government.

Also in regards to any form of coalition, that would have to go to a members vote and I can confirm that no one in the Bolton group, nor its neighbouring groups, would ever vote for a coalition with the Tories.  The chances of LibDem forming another coalition with Tories is about as much chance of finding out that the moon is actually made of cheese!

Fair enough, but can I come back later, and ask what flavour it is ?