Yesterday’s news prompts innumerable talking points – the factors behind May’s decision, the reactions of some Labour MPs, the rather disturbing tabloid coverage, and so on.
For many voters Brexit will be a key issue. Whereas Corbyn mentioned Brexit neither in his initial statement nor in his email asking members for donations, for the Lib Dems avoiding a Hard Brexit is central to their campaigning. For many ardent Remainers who usually vote Labour, this is enough to justify a switch.
However opinion – even liberal opinion – is divided over Tim Farron’s widely reported interview with Cathy Newman; he was evasive when she asked whether he thought homosexuality was a sin. For some, his stance would make voting Lib Dem difficult.
Owen Jones was particularly indignant
Others don’t believe in prying into his personal beliefs – only his policies. And his record, while patchy, shows improvement on this issue.
Jeremy Corbyn’s voting record on this front is irreproachable. However there are of course still questions to be raised about his record on LGBT issues – questions Owen Jones apparently doesn’t want to engage with.
Returning to Farron – the Telegraph’s Tim Stanley sums the issues up crisply:
