Farron forced to say being gay is not a sin
TIM Farron was yesterday pushed into saying that being gay is not a sin after celebrities and activists waged a campaign against him.
The Liberal Democrats leader and committed Christian was accused of being a ‘bigot’ and an ‘absolute disgrace’ after he refused to discuss the issue in a television interview.
Mr Farron, 46, made clear he supports gay rights, but said he would not make a ‘theological pronouncement’ on homosexuality when challenged three times about his Christian beliefs on Channel 4 News on Tuesday night.
But he was berated for being evasive by celebrities including former Great British Bake Off host Sue Perkins and comedian David Walliams. Miss Perkins tweeted: ‘Tim Farron failing to clarify his views on the gay community. It’s 2017.’
Walliams added: ‘Mr @timfarron you are definitely a sinner for your continued intolerance & prejudice. Please try and join the rest of us in the year 2017.’
Labour activist Jack Slater tweeted: ‘To hold the belief that homosexuality is sinful is disgusting. Tim Farron, you are no progressive.’
Pressed on the issue in the Commons yesterday, Mr Farron said he did not believe homosexuality was a sin.
Asked the question by gay Tory MP Nigel Evans, he replied: ‘I do not. And I tell you what, I am very proud to have gone through the lobby behind him in the Coalition Government where the Liberal Democrats introduced gay marriage, equal marriage, and indeed did not go as far as it should have done in terms of recognising transgender rights.’
Channel 4 News asked Mr Farron about his views on sexuality on Tuesday after he refused to answer similar questions in an interview on the programme in 2015. Presenter Cathy Newman said: ‘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?’
He 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. I’m not going to spend my time talking theology or making pronouncements.’
Miss Newman reminded the Lib Dem leader that in 2015 she had asked him three times if homosexuality was a sin, ‘and you said “we’re all sinners”. Is that still the answer?’ Mr Farron replied: ‘As a Liberal, I’m passionate about equality, about equal marriage and about equal rights for LGBT people, for fighting for LGBT rights, not just in this country but overseas.
‘Just because I’m Christian, it would be a bit boring for everybody to spend the next weeks asking me to make theological announcements that I’m not going to make.’
Comedian David Baddiel wrote: ‘Problem with people saying it’s Tim Farron who’s talking the most sense is: he’s a fundamentalist Christian homophobe.’
Mr Farron, who has been MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale in Cumbria since 2005, was elected Lib Dem leader in 2015 after Nick Clegg stepped down. The father of four has said that ‘ becoming a Christian at the age of 18 [was] the most massive choice I have made’.