A few words on Tim Farron.

(Note: This wasn't meant to be a post - I merely intended a few words on my Facebook page, and repeat of the LGBT+ Lib Dem line... but it sort of grew arms and legs.

Tim's been at it again - picking at the scab which never quite healed following his failure to give a good response to Cathy Newman on Channel 4 News on his day after election as leader.

Having defended Tim, despite his unpreparedness for the question then (and, as it transpired, continued unpreparedness in 2017), his repeated pronouncements since (beginning with his resignation statement) have become increasingly frustrating.

When. You're. In. A. Hole. Stop. Digging.

Especially when it has an impact on others, who are busy trying to climb out of that hole.

I still like Tim*, but every time he pulls this sort of stunt it becomes harder to do so.

I had hoped that Tim could play a role in the recuperation of the party's reputation. He seemed to have found his mojo again on social media, and could have continued to be an asset on the telly, particularly the softer media opportunities which Vince may not be so cut out for.

But now he really needs to take a break from Making. Pronouncements. Whether on the issue of gay sex, or the nature of Liberalism, a period of quiet is now well overdue.

Today's video caused much anguish on the LGBT+ Lib Dem exec: particularly as we had had his back during the General Election. There is a distinct feeling that this is not the way to pay us back. (This is putting it mildly. Some of my colleagues might not be so polite as I.)

Accompanying Tim's statement comes a fresh media circus.

Lib Dems in the headlines! Hurrah.

For all the wrong reasons. Boo.

LGBT+ Lib Dems were asked for contributors on LBC - including on Nick Ferrari's show tomorrow a.m.. No one was available for interview, but we did issue a line - composed by yours truly and intended to be diplomatic and brief, but also pointed:

"Tim speaks for himself and has no brief for the Liberal Democrats on these matters. LGBT+ Lib Dems represent members of all faiths and none, and campaigns for equal rights for all, irrespective of their personal morality."

The not so subtle message?: We're campaigning for your rights, Tim, please don't undermine us when we do so.


*this is because I couldn't give two hoots as to whether he thinks gay sex is sinful.

Open. Tolerant. United: Tim Farron's speech to #ldconf

I know that my blogging here has become quite infrequent - but I do still intend to make the occasional post. Like this one. As is my wont, I live-tweeted from the leader's speech at Lib Dem Conference, and have collected these tweets in a Storify for your enjoyment.

For those who want more, and more regularly, you can find additional writings on my public Facebook page, including my "quick takes" following the speech.

My email to Tim and Sal re: Lord Rennard and the Federal Executive

As a follow up to my last post, here is my email on the subject to Tim Farron (Leader of the Liberal Democrats) and Baroness Sal Brinton (Party President):


Dear Tim and Sal,

I'm deeply concerned about the reputational damage to the party caused by the election of Lord Rennard to represent our Lords' group on Federal Executive.

Whatever one's views of the allegations against him, the resultant internal processes, the lack of police action or the Morrissey report and subsequent statements by Helena Morrissey, his name has become a byword for sleaze and harassment within the party - and amongst many in the public: in particular many who might otherwise vote for us.

By electing him to the FE, the Lords have cemented his circle of influence both there and more widely within the party, and sent a signal to many members and potential members that they (and by extension the Party generally) still don't get the impact of his behaviour.

I'm sure you have both had much correspondence on this but I would like to add my name to calls for public statements distancing yourselves from this decision and reinforcing a commitment to rebuilding our party with a culture inclusive of all, particularly those alienated by this turn of events. Whilst we need to respect the processes of the party, I believe that your mandates from the membership give you both the platform from which you can make these points more forcibly than any other senior party figures: and that doing so will be essential to repairing the reputation of the party.

Kind Regards,


Andrew Brown
Bristol

Tim Farron's Conference Speech Autumn 2015 in Tweets

A Storify of my tweets from Tim Farron's first conference speech as leader of the Liberal Democrats.

It's a Sin

Tonight on Channel 4 News, Cathy Newman laid into our new leader with questions over whether he considered homosexuality a sin.

The answer to this question is... not relevant.

As an evangelical Christian, his private position is almost certainly that the act is sinful, not the inclination. Christ hates the sin, but loves the sinner. I know this, as it used to be what I believed.

But whatever, he can't say that - it sounds trite and patronising.

And it's not relevant.

Tim Farron's personal views on sin are - and should remain - his own. Sin is not a concept recognised in law, nor should it play a part in political debate. Sadly, Cathy Newman chose to concentrate on this, rather than issues such as Welfare changes, Greece, Syria (on which she spent 40 seconds) or any one of a number of issues that could have yielded more information on the tone our new leader will set.

And if you're going to fixate on someone's personal views on sexuality, the question should be "If you believe that homosexuality is sinful, how will this affect your policy positions."

It's true that there have been concerns over Tim's voting record - and it's obvious that his desire to ensure some protections for those religious organisations that oppose Same-Sex Marriage did cause him to be less enthusiastic than I would have liked our (then) Party President to have been.

But a quick look at They Work For You reveals that as well voting for the second reading of the Marriage Bill, he has also separately (subsequent to having been absent at the third reading) voted to allow same-sex marriage for armed forces personal.

So his own view on whether or not gay sex is sinful has not actually stopped him voting in favour of same-sex marriage.

He has, of course, expressed concern over whether Christians and other religions were adequately protected by the Same-Sex Marriage act. This is his stated reason for absenting himself from the third reading - which he says he now regrets.

It was similar concerns that led him to vote against the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations in 2008. 

Now, we may take different views on these things - but how to balance the competing needs for protection of minorities in our society are legitimate areas of debate; and legitimate areas of concern for Liberals. We must always ensure that in correcting one wrong, we do not create another. Judgements on these things will vary, of course, but the principle is sound.

The fixation on his views on sexuality are a side-show, just as much as the sexual preferences of an unmarried public figure would be, or whether a female politician has had a family.

We cry out for politicians from every walk of life, with differing backgrounds and interests - and then we decry them when they step outside of the model that suits the intellectual, small-l liberal elites. Sometimes with good reason (David Tredinnick) and sometimes not.

Tim has been elevated to be leader, not vicar; to the platform, not the pulpit. I expect him to motivate, not moralise and deliver speeches not sermons.

I expect the press and media to continue to fixate on this issue for a while  and there's a sense in which there is no good answer - a "yes" would cause furore, a "no" would seem inconsistent with his professed faith. I hope Tim gets better at answering - perhaps not by calling us all sinners. Beyond that, I look forward to a gradual return to focusing on substantive issues such as the EU, Housing and rebuiliding our party as a Liberal voice for a liberal country.

The Leadership Contest – Why I kept quiet and who I voted for

This afternoon, the new leader of the Liberal Democrats will be announced. 

Spoiler: My vote was for Tim Farron.

Not a lot of people know that, as I have been quiet on the matter: not just here, but also on social media where I tend to do more writing these days when I occasionally get dragged into a debate on some contentious issue or other.

And, in some ways, there have been contentious elements to this election campaign. Not from the candidates, but from some of those around them. Thankfully, this has (by and large) played out in closed groups on Facebook rather than as a pitched battle in the wider media.

Of course, after an election in which we garnered just 8 % of votes and were left with just 8 MPs, there has been less media interest that there might otherwise have. Whilst the Labour Party candidates will have multiple TV hustings – our coverage has been comfined to just one slot on the Victoria Derbyshire programme, individual appearances on Question Time and Any Questions and a smattering of profiles and endorsements in The New Statesman, Economist, and the Guardian and Independent group newspapers.

The reason for my quietness was simple: as a local Membership Officer dealing with hundreds of new members, I did not wish to be seen to be taking sides. So I opted early on to play a neutral role – in members' newsletters and in our Facebook group, I sought to present both candidates equally. In personal conversations I would be more open – I wasn’t keeping it a complete secret – but would be at pains to present the relative merits and drawbacks of both candidates.

And they do both have merit – Norman Lamb is an astute, measured, principled man to whom I am probably closer politically. His role in putting mental health issues on the agenda in government, in the party and, indeed, in the election campaign should never be understated. His advocacy of assisted dying and reform of drug policy are also key issues on which we agree – and which the Liberal Democrats should be seizing whilst carving out liberal electoral ground for ourselves. In a world where there is a perception of little or no difference between parties, such policies stand out.

But, of course, policy is made by conference based either on motions submitted by members and local parties or papers proposed by the Federal Policy Committee. Whilst the leader can influence priorities and prominence, he (or, at some future point, she) cannot determine it – and, indeed, Norman was largely reflecting party positions in his pronouncements.

Tim’s strengths are in presentation and motivation. As Party President he spent years seeking to enthuse members and rally the troops in difficult circumstances. His down to earth, no-nonsense style resonates with members and the public alike. Where Norman is quiet and thoughtful, Tim is more of a rabble rouser.

And that was the key for my decision. Ultimately we need someone who can make the most of the limited opportunities that we will have in the Commons and the Media – and who will engage and encourage the membership. Tim’s livewire approach is, for me, the one that is most likely to succeed.