Tim Farron was interviewed on LBC earlier. As the Press Association reports, Farron has refused to say whether he thinks homosexuality is a sin during a heated radio interview.
The Liberal Democrat leader was repeatedly asked about his attitudes towards homosexuality during LBC’s Leaders Live with Nick Ferrari.
A caller named Brian said there was a “huge question mark” over Farron’s views, accusing the leader of thinking “homosexuality is a sin”.
Farron said he was “a Liberal and ever since my day of joining the party 31 years ago I’ve been an active campaigner for LGBT+ rights”.
The caller asked Farron to clarify his views on homosexuality, to which he replied: “I’m talking to you about my passionate concern about LGBT+ rights.”
But the caller said the leader’s religion was “very important”, adding: “I want to know why you think homosexuality is a sin, and why you think that is a crime.”
Farron said: “My view very, very much is about I am a political leader and I am a Liberal to my fingertips,” adding that he “dealt” with the issue “weeks ago”.
When asked to remind the caller about his views, he said: “We’re not going there - my personal faith is my personal faith. I dealt with that weeks ago.”
Ferrari asked why Farron would not remind listeners, to which he replied: “To be honest with you, a person who is a leader of a political party, it is their job - and someone who is passionate about LGBT+ rights - to prove it by your actions and not by your words, and my actions absolutely are 100% about defending LGBT+ rights.”
The presenter said Farron would not answer whether it was sin, and he replied: “I’ve already answered that - let’s move on.”
Tim Farron taking part in LBC Leaders Live hosted by Nick Ferrari at LBC studios in central London. Photograph: Isabel Infantes/PA
Tory HQ stands by Mackinlay, saying it expects him to be proved innocent
The Conservative party has issued a statement about the decision to charge Craig Mackinlay. The party could have decided to disown him as an official candidate, but it is not doing that. It is standing by him, and it says that it thinks the allegation is “unfounded” and that Mackinlay will be proved innocent.
This is from a party spokesman.
The legal authorities have previously cleared Conservative candidates who faced numerous politically motivated and unfounded complaints over the Party’s national Battlebus campaigning.
We continue to believe that this remaining allegation is unfounded. Our candidate has made clear that there was no intention by him or his campaigners to engage in any inappropriate activity. We believe that they have done nothing wrong, and we are confident that this will be proven as the matter progresses.
The individuals remain innocent unless otherwise proven guilty in a court of law. The press, parties and those on social media should be aware of the provisions of the Contempt of Court Act and the strict liability rules against publishing anything which would prejudice the course of justice.
There is a broad consensus that election law is fragmented, confused and unclear, with two different sets of legislation, and poor guidance from the Electoral Commission. Conservatives are committed to strengthening electoral law to tackle the real and proven cases of corruption that were exposed in Tower Hamlets in 2015.
The contest in South Thanet at the 2015 general election was a particularly fierce one because Craig Mackinlay (who was deputy leader of Ukip for some years in the late 1990s, and briefly acting leader, before joining the Tories) was up against Nigel Farage, the then Ukip leader. Ukip were doing well in the polls in 2015 and Farage hoped to win the seat. Mackinlay won by 2,812 votes.
Full details of the charges against Craig Mackinlay, Nathan Gray and Marion Little
Here are the details of the charges from the CPS press statement.
Craig Mackinlay
That on 11 June 2015, being a candidate at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, you knowingly made the declaration accompanying the return for the regulated period from 19 December 2014 to 29 March 2015, delivered under Section 81(1) of the Representation of People Act 1983, required by Section 82(1) of the same Act, falsely, contrary to Section 82(6) of the same Act.
That on 11 June 2015, being a candidate at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, you knowingly made the declaration accompanying the return for the regulated period from 30 March 2015 to 7 May 2015, delivered under Section 81(1) of the Representation of People Act 1983, required by Section 82(1) of the same Act, falsely, contrary to Section 82(6) of the same Act.
Nathan Gray
That on 11 June 2015, being an election agent at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, you failed to deliver a true return containing a statement of all election expenses in the regulated period from 19 December 2014 to 29 March 2015 as required by Section 81(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, contrary to Section 84 of the same Act.
That on 11 June 2015, being the election agent at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, you failed to deliver a true return containing a statement of all election expenses in the regulated period from 30 March 2015 to 7 May 2015 as required by Section 81(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, contrary to Section 84 of the same Act.
That on 11 June 2015, being the election agent at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, you knowingly made the declaration accompanying the return for the regulated period from 30 March 2015 to 7 May 2015, delivered under Section 81(1) of the Representation of People Act 1983, required by Section 82(1) of the same Act, falsely, contrary to Section 82(6) of the same Act.
Marion Little
That you did aid, abet, counsel and procure Craig Mackinlay, a candidate at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, to knowingly make the declaration accompanying the return for the regulated period from 19 December 2014 to 29 March 2015, delivered under Section 81(1) of the Representation of People Act 1983, required by Section 82(1) of the same Act, falsely, contrary to Section 82(6) of the same Act.
That you did aid, abet, counsel and procure Craig Mackinlay, a candidate at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, to knowingly make the declaration accompanying the return for the regulated period from 30 March 2015 to 7 May 2015, delivered under Section 81(1) of the Representation of People Act 1983, required by Section 82(1) of the same Act, falsely, contrary to Section 82(6) of the same Act.
That you did aid, abet, counsel and procure Nathan Gray, an election agent at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, to fail to deliver a true return on 11 June 2015 containing a statement of all election expenses in the regulated period from 19 December 2014 to 29 March 2015 as required by Section 81(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, contrary to Section 84 of the same Act.
That you did aid, abet, counsel and procure Nathan Gray, an election agent at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, to fail to deliver a true return on 11 June 2015 containing a statement of all election expenses in the regulated period from 30 March 2015 to 7 May 2015 as required by Section 81(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, contrary to Section 84 of the same Act.
That you did aid, abet, counsel and procure Nathan Gray, an election agent at the UK General Election on 7 May 2015, to knowingly make the declaration accompanying the return for the regulated period from 30 March 2015 to 7 May 2015, delivered under Section 81(1) of the Representation of People Act 1983, required by Section 82(1) of the same Act, falsely, contrary to Section 82(6) of the same Act.
The decision to charge Craig Mackinlay does not stop him being a candidate in next week’s election. His name is on the ballot for the poll and that does not change.
Tory candidate for South Thanet charged over alleged overspending in 2015 election
The Conservative candidate for South Thanet, Craig Mackinlay, who has been under investigation for alleged overspending in the 2015 general election, when he beat Nigel Farage, has been charged, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced this morning.
Nathan Gray, Mackinlay’s agent, and Marion Little, a Tory organiser in the campaign, are being charged too.
Here is the CPS statement in full. It’s from Nick Vamos, its head of special crime.
On 18 April we received a file of evidence from Kent Police concerning allegations relating to Conservative party expenditure during the 2015 general election campaign. We then asked for additional enquiries to be made in advance of the 11 June statutory time limit by when any charges needed to be authorised.
Those enquiries have now been completed and we have considered the evidence in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
We have concluded there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to authorise charges against three people.
Craig Mackinlay, 50, Nathan Gray, 28, and Marion Little, 62, have each been charged with offences under the Representation of the People Act 1983 and are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 4 July 2017.
Criminal proceedings have now commenced and it is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.
In response to a question about ecosystems, Corbyn says environmental policy should not just tackle climate change. It should protect ecosystems as well.
He says when he visited York after the floods he spoke about the need to improve upriver management.
Labour would not promote GM crops. And it would not allow water pollution, he says.
He says the party is committed to a big tree-planting programme.
Q: [From a Swedish journalist] Do you see any way of making European social democracy more successful?
Corbyn suggests that the journalist represents the Swedish version of the Guardian.
He welcomes the journalist. There is a change happening over the whole of the industrial world. People are fed up with the message they will get less housing and less healthcare and will have to take out insurance.
There is a sea-change in attitudes. That was shown in the US elections, and especially the Democratic primaries.
People do not believe that services have to be slashed.
Our whole offer to the people of Britain is difference. Instead of punishing those who did not cause the crisis, we invest in their future.
He says the UK will not leave Europe. It wants to work with Europe on issues like environmental protection.
Jeremy Corbyn’s speech was relatively short. He was mostly just introducing Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary, who then ran through Labour’s industrial policy.
Corbyn is now taking questions.
Q: Would you host President Trump in Number 10? And what would you say to him?
Q: You have said repeatedly you don’t do insults. Will you make an exception for Trump?
Corbyn says Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement is “absolutely shocking”.
Corbyn says Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement is “absolutely shocking”.
Think about how much work went into getting that deal, he says.
The Paris conference was a culmination of many events.
He says he spoke to Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader and former energy secretary, about this this morning.
So Trump’s decision is a very, very big shame, he says.
And he says he thinks it will not be popular in the US. They are affected by climate change too.
He says he would meet Trump and would be polite to him.
I do not believe you get anywhere by insulting people and shouting at them.
Q: You present yourself as a pretty straight guy. Will it be impossible to turn around the Tory lead on economic competence?
Corbyn says Labour’s economic strategy is fully costed and fully prepared.
Labour has put its plans out for people to read.
It has set out a good strategy. It would invest in pre-schools and in schools, and stop students being saddled with debt.
Labour’s strategy is innovative, very well thought-out, and exciting, he says.
He says we cannot go on with having an economy that is not balanced.
He says the Labour manifesto is not just the product of the Labour party. Hundreds of organisations have shared their expertise with the party and had an input.
Long-Bailey says if you want to talk about economic competence, look at the Tories’ record. The deficit is higher than it ever was under Labour, wages have stagnated and business cannot get access to finance, she says.
She gives an example of how Labour would have helped a firm. It wanted to install solar panels. That would have cut its energy costs. But, because investment in plant and machinery puts business rates up, it was not cost-effective. Labour would take investment in plant and machinery out of business rate calculations.
Jeremy Corbyn and Rebecca Long-Bailey. Photograph: Reuters
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