It’s important to ask hard questions
Media not to blame for Farron resignation
TIM Farron has resigned as leader of the Liberal Democrats after claiming he’s been treated unfairly because of his religion.
He said: “I seem to be the subject of suspicion because of what I believe and who my faith is in.
“In which case we are kidding ourselves if we think we yet live in a tolerant, liberal society.”
He was referring to questioning about his views on homosexuality.
Mr Farron had been asked repeatedly whether he believed gay sex was a sin. It began in 2015, shortly after he replaced Nick Clegg as Liberal Democrat leader.
Lib Dems have a history of being very supportive of gay rights, but Mr Farron abstained on the third reading of the legislation allowing same-sex marriage, in 2013. He was also known to be an evangelical Christian.
This is why Channel 4 News interviewer Cathy Newman asked him in July 2015 whether he personally believed gay sex was a sin. Mr Farron refused to answer, saying instead that to “understand Christianity is to understand that we are all sinners”.
He was then asked the question repeatedly by journalists over the next two years.
Was Cathy Newman wrong to ask the question? I don’t think so. She was trying to find out what Mr Farron, the leader of a major political party and someone who could potentially (like Nick Clegg) be in a position of power one day, actually believed.
Mr Farron, and those who sympathise with him, seem to think this is none of the voting public’s business.
Their argument is that what matters is how he votes and the positions that he takes as a politician. If he defends the rights and liberties of gay and lesbian people then he should be judged on that record, not quizzed about his religious views.
That’s a fair argument. It’s one that many people might find convincing. But it’s up to voters whether they believe that makes sense or not.
Equally, there are people who think that a politician who believes gay sex is a sin just can’t stand up effectively for gay rights.
They may be wrong. You’re free to argue with them. But they also hold a perfectly reasonable view.
And they are entitled to know whether Mr Farron, or any other politician, does indeed think gay sex (and by extension, being gay, as most people tend to have sex once in a while) is wrong. That’s because they have to decide whether to vote for him or not.
So the media did nothing wrong in asking the question. The fault likes with Mr Farron, for refusing to answer it in a straightforward manner and allowing voters to decide for themselves whether they find his answer reasonable or not.