Tim Farron

[BlackLabel]

"The overwhelming favourite in the Liberal Democrat leadership contest has decided not to stand.

Jo Swinson, the newly elected MP for East Dunbartonshire, was considered to have the backing of 57 per cent of the Lib Dem membership, with no other potential candidate polling above 15 per cent.

But in a blogpost for Lib Dem Voice, Ms Swinson declared she would stand for the deputy leadership instead."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jo-s...

[anonymous-user]

BlackLabel said:

"The overwhelming favourite in the Liberal Democrat leadership contest has decided not to stand.

Jo Swinson, the newly elected MP for East Dunbartonshire, was considered to have the backing of 57 per cent of the Lib Dem membership, with no other potential candidate polling above 15 per cent.

But in a blogpost for Lib Dem Voice, Ms Swinson declared she would stand for the deputy leadership instead."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jo-s...

That just about sums up the Lib Dems, no bks.

[Smollet]

jsf said:

That just about sums up the Lib Dems, no bks.

Not many MPs either.

[CaptainSlow]

BlackLabel said:

"The overwhelming favourite in the Liberal Democrat leadership contest has decided not to stand.

Jo Swinson, the newly elected MP for East Dunbartonshire, was considered to have the backing of 57 per cent of the Lib Dem membership, with no other potential candidate polling above 15 per cent.

But in a blogpost for Lib Dem Voice, Ms Swinson declared she would stand for the deputy leadership instead."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jo-s...

From the BBC

"She wrote: "Feminist that I am, I have of course wondered what a bloke in my position would do. It's obvious.

"Most blokes in my shoes would run for leader like a shot.

"It's true that my many years of encouraging women to have the confidence to go for that exciting new role have taught me that women often don't go for things when they should."

But she added: "Just because a man would do it, doesn't make it the right thing to do." "


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40321277


So it's ok for a feminist to throw about gender stereotypes? Bloody hypocrites.

[anonymous-user]

That doesn't make any sense at all.

[cuprabob]

jsf said:

That doesn't make any sense at all.

It does to a woman

[768]

Can you imagine the uproar if a man said the same with the roles reversed...

[Murph7355]

[quote = BBC article]Ms Swinson said her "reflections and conversations about a range of factors" had persuaded her to go for the deputy leadership instead.
[/quote]
What does that mean?

My assumption would be that the role of deputy leader would not be materially different in terms of time needed, so it can't be that. Though I would imagine that the amount of flak it attracts is significantly less.

Simply focussing on being an MP rather than the other baggage would make sense and would be an admirable thing to acknowledge. But standing for deputy leader?

Commitment, conviction and backbone are gender neutral. As are lack of.

[anonymous-user]

768 said:

Can you imagine the uproar if a man said the same with the roles reversed...

"Mysoginist that I am, I have of course wondered what a bird in my position would do. It's obvious.

"Most birds in my shoes would run away from leader like a shot.

"It's true that my many years of encouraging men to have the confidence to go for that exciting new role have taught me that men often go for things when they shouldn't."

But he added: "Just because a woman wouldn't do it, doesn't make it the right thing not to do."

[anonymous-user]

jsf said:

That doesn't make any sense at all.

Ideal qualities for a party leadership role.
I'm sure they will try to talk her out of the pre-application resignation

[BlackLabel]

Well Norman Lamb has just pulled out too - he says he has no chance of winning because he's not pro EU enough.

https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun...

So it's down to Sir Vincent Cable or Sir Edward Davey.

[anonymous-user]

Your forgetting Wera Hobhouse

[alfie2244]

techiedave said:

Your forgetting Wera Hobhouse

Noooooooooooooooooo!

[anonymous-user]

I may have been joking about the lady above but I tell you who I would think could carry it off

Tom Brake
He is a mature age 52 I think he looks more youthful than that
He is a good speaker clear and articulate
he has some good experience been an MP for 20 years
He is or was the Lib Dem deputy commons leader
He seems a genuinely decent guy

A womans perspective from my wife - he seems to have his head screwed on and not afraid to get his hands dirty, he has taken care of himself physically and he comes across as having a bit of authority

[Mr GrimNasty]

BlackLabel said:

Well Norman Lamb has just pulled out too - he says he has no chance of winning because he's not pro EU enough.

I hope all other prospective candidates will make it clear that it is perfectly acceptable to pull out, and it makes no different if it is a vagina or a bum.

[BlackLabel]

Davey says he's not running now too.

This is obviously an incredibly desirable job.

[Eddie Strohacker]

BlackLabel said:

Davey says he's not running now too.

This is obviously an incredibly desirable job.

Coronation then.

[Stickyfinger]

ash73 said:

Please anyone except Vince Cable. But it's a moot point anyhow, I could never vote LibDem while they maintain their current stance on Europe.

Vince Cable will not be able resist telling the left that their money tree politics will not work...he is basically a very wet Tory so could work well against Corbyn and his Marxist sidekick.

Edited by Stickyfinger on Tuesday 27th June 20:47

[NJH]

I agree, politically he is ideal for them. Unfortunately he is so old he can't be anything other than a caretaker manager till they find someone to take them forward again.

[FN2TypeR]

NJH said:

I agree, politically he is ideal for them. Unfortunately he is so old he can't be anything other than a caretaker manager till they find someone to take them forward again.

Their pond in which to cast their net remains small, 12MPs is it? Cable is one and Farron another, so ten to choose from once Cable is done, providing he and the idiot don't step down

Nice