Tag Archives: tim farron #INtogether

In Full: Tim Farron’s speech launching #INtogether campaign

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 11th May 2016 - 9:41 pm

I’m about as pro EU as it’s possible to get and even I have been dismayed by the constant barrage of negativity coming from Britain Stronger in Europe. People might actually want to follow the Scottish version which so far has got it right. They launched in Edinburgh earlier this week and is headed up by former Lib Dem Scottish Policy convener John Edward and Professor Mona Siddiqui. The advantage of following the Scottish campaign, of course, is that you are unlikely to see David Cameron at any point.

Anyway, tonight, Tim Farron injected his own particular brand of positive passion into the debate as he launched the INtogether campaign in London. I hope someone was filming it and will put it on You Tube later because it was a cracker. My only slight quibble is that it’s 21 years since Peak John Redwood. I’m not sure anyone under the age of 30 would properly appreciate the gag about him.

This is my favourite bit:

The EU is not a monster directed against Britain by a secret conspiracy in Brussels. It’s a grouping of friendly democratic governments, struggling to master the many challenges we all face.

The unavoidable compromises among 28 governments, with different pressures from their domestic publics, don’t always reach the perfect answer that some in Britain demand.

But life isn’t perfect, and politics is about compromise; and political negotiation among democratic governments across Europe is far better than what our grandparents suffered in war, or the numbing fear and anxiety of those of us who grew up through the cold war.

I watched it through the wonders of Periscope on Twitter and here, just for you, is the whole version.