Tim Farron came to Leeds yesterday, and spoke to local people and news crews in Beckett Park. Tim said:
The Liberal Democrats are absolutely clear that our country faces an absolute democratic challenge if it becomes a one-party state on the 8th of June. What does that mean to your local hospital? What does it mean to local police forces? What does it mean to our local schools if you have a Conservative government in London with a colossal majority, able to take everybody here and around the country for granted? The British people need a decent and strong oppostion. The Liberal Democrats will be it.
“This election is your chance to change the direction of our country. If you want to avoid a disastrous Hard Brexit. If you want to keep Britain in the Single Market. If you want a Britain that is open, tolerant and united, this is your chance. Only the Liberal Democrats can prevent a Conservative majority.”
Party leader Tim Farron has tonight been at the Downing Street protest against the state visit invitation issued to Donald Trump. As he points out, part of the reason for rushing through this invitation, in spite of Trump’s horrendous and illiberal actions since taking office, is that Theresa May is desperate for allies and trade partners now that we are breaking our ties with our nearest neighbours in the EU.
Today, George Osborne will make his autumn statement. We don’t know yet what it will contain, but it’s pretty clear that it will include further severe cuts to the welfare budget.
This morning, Tim Farron has written for the Huffington Post about how the Liberal Democrats would approach this year’s spending review, including five things we would like to see in the autumn statement:
£250million of additional spending on mental health
Stopping the Tax Credit cuts
Investment in enterprise
A real commitment to investment in new infrastructure
This week the Liberal Democrats held their annual autumn conference in a beautifully-sunny Bournemouth. Headingley campaigner Penny Goodman was there, and took part in the conference photo-board on the theme of #OurLibDemValues. Here’s what liberalism is all about for Penny:
It was a great conference, but the absolute highlight was Tim Farron’s leader’s speech on the final day. It was his first in the role, but long-term conference-goers agreed that it had been one of the best speeches ever delivered by any Liberal Democrat leader. You can watch it for yourself here:
Yesterday, Tim Farron was elected as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats. In a rally held to mark his election, Tim explained what he thinks the Liberal Democrats are for:
We are the party that sees the best in people not the worst. We are the party that believes that the role of Government is to help us to be the best that we can be, no matter who we are or what our background…..
That’s it. That’s our mission.
We see people as individuals not as opposing tribes, lined up against each other across borders. We favour co-operation over isolation – your failure is not my success. We stand up against the abuse of power, for entrepreneurship and individual endeavour.
We see immigration as a blessing not a curse and value the contribution every single individual has to make to this beautiful country of ours.
As the world changes around us, we see the opportunities and not just the dangers. Because we see the best in people. We trust people.
That’s why we stand up for the individual against the state. Why we stand up for the minority against the majority. Why we stand up for the outsider against the establishment. Because that is not just what we do, it is who we are!
