Farron’s tardy response on ‘gay sin’ is a disgrace, say activists
TIM FARRON, the Liberal Democrat leader, was accused of being an “absolute disgrace” by gay rights campaigners yesterday as he took nearly 20 hours to clarify that he does not believe homosexuality is a “sin”.
He has made it clear he supports equal marriage and LGBT rights but, challenged about his Christian beliefs on Channel 4 News on Tuesday, he refused to say four times whether or not he believed being gay was sinful.
Asked by Tory MP Nigel Evans in Parliament yesterday if he thought “being gay is a sin”, Mr Farron finally replied: “I do not.”
Channel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman had asked the Lib Dem leader: “A while back I asked you if you thought that homosexuality was a sin and you struggled to answer. Now you’ve had a while to consider that question, what is the answer?”
To which Mr Farron replied: “I don’t think I struggled to answer it at all, Cathy. I think I’m not in the position to make theological announcements over the next six weeks.”
Ms Newman also re- minded the Lib Dem leader that in 2015 she had asked him three times if homosexuality was a sin, to which he replied “we’re all sinners”.
Owen Jones, the writer, posted on Twitter: “This is an absolute disgrace. But hey, I’m just some sinning gay, what would I know.”
David Walliams, the Little Britain comedian, added: “Mr Tim Farron you are definitely a sinner for your continued intolerance & prejudice. Please try and join the rest of us in the year 2017.”
Mr Farron has consistently voted in favour of LGBT and gay rights in the Commons, with only one exception. He voted in favour of the 2013 Marriage Act, although he abstained on the third reading of the Bill, a decision he has said he regrets.
The latest row came as senior Lib Dem figures ruled out entering a post-election coalition with Labour, in an attempt to distance themselves from Jeremy Corbyn.
Sir Vince Cable, the former business secretary who will contest his old seat of Twickenham, said there was “no prospect” of a deal being done. Mr Farron, however, repeatedly failed to rule out a coalition with the Tories.