British politician Tim Farron has resigned as Liberal Democrat leader after senior party figures triggered a coup against him earlier today.
It follows the resignation of his home affairs spokesman Lord Brian Paddick over the leader’s views on gay marriage. Lord Paddick, formerly one of the country’s most senior gay policemen, said he felt unable to continue in his role because of Mr Farron’s views on “various issues”.
Throughout the election campaign the Liberal Democrat leader was dogged by questions about his attitude to gay sex after he previously appeared to state the practice was a sin.
Mr Farron also faced tough questions about his views on abortion after he previously claimed it was “wrong”. He has now resigned as leader, saying it “felt impossible” for him to continue in the role.
Lord Paddick, formerly the Metropolitan police’s deputy assistant commissioner, tweeted yesterday: “I’ve resigned as @LibDems Shadow Home Secretary over concerns about the leader’s views on various issues that were highlighted during GE17.”
Hear Farron is resigning… source
— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) June 14, 2017
Tim Farron is on his way out after complaints about lightweight campaign and lack of heavyweight policy development.
— Joe Murphy (@JoeMurphyLondon) June 14, 2017
Speaking in 2007, Mr Farron told a magazine: “Abortion is wrong … Society has to climb down from the position that says there is nothing objectionable about abortion before a certain time”. He was asked if gay sex was also a sin and replied “we’re all sinners”, before later in the campaign being forced to clarify that he did not believe it was a sin.
Sources within the party believed Mr Paddick’s decision to step aside was the beginning of a coup against the leader, who despite increasing the number of his MPs was seen as ineffective during the campaign.
One senior Liberal Democrat said Mr Farron is “a great guy” but added: “His views are not compatible with being the leader of the Liberal Democrats, he was – on balance – unhelpful during the campaign.”
They added that Jo Swinson could be a possible replacement. The former minister in the 2010 coalition Government was returned to Westminster after losing her seat in 2015 and is seen as a possible deputy leader of the party after Mr Farron launched a search for the role yesterday.
A spokesman for Mr Farron could not be contacted for comment on the resignation. Earlier the spokesman denied there a coup against Mr Farron and claimed he would stay on as leader “for as long as he wants to do so”.
Lord Paddick declined to comment further following his tweet.
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