Tim Farron made a barnstormer of a speech in the migration debate at Conference last week, and was largely credited with fending off the threat of a Reference Back.
However, the Chair of Lib Dem Immigrants, Lisa Maria Bornemann, pointed out a flaw in his argument, to the great amusement of everyone in the hall except Vince. Watch our Leader’s face. And contrast with Tim’s realisation that he had been well and truly pwned. I was sitting right behind him and just after this he turned to me, still laughing, and said something along the lines of “Well, that’s me done.”
Thanks to Zoe O’Connell for the clip.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social
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8 Comments
Vince’s look and body language is ummmmm….. interesting 🙂
Tim Farron is known for his sense of humour and for his openness to, for instance, freedom of speech. So, is pwn a typo for a chess move, or borrowing from a pwnbrkr, or an acronym or for something otherwise unprintable? Please do tell.
Richard Underhill: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/owned-pwned
I don’t think that assumption is correct. The reference back was doomed once it was clear that all the amendments would be passed. The fact is that while the policy paper is as “disappointing” as it always was, no-one will now pay any attention to it. The motion was rescued to the level of “acceptable” as a result of activist campaigning within the party, including on here. The result was a real rebuff to the people in high places who had been trying to triangulate our policy to the illiberal right.
It became very clear to me that Liberalism had won the day when the people speaking for the motion made speeches that were trying to outflank the opponents by being more Liberal and more liberal. My comment immediately after Tim’s speech was that it was “a brilliant (but rather dishonest) rant” but it accurately reflected the mood in the hall – which was superbly Liberal. I hope the people who were (in my view disgracefully) trying to drag the party to the right – who did not include Tim – have learned the lessons that were so very clear.
Richard: a quick google of “pwned means” produces “(especially in video gaming) utterly defeat (an opponent or rival); completely get the better of.”
interesting to watch ! I’d very much wanted Tim to speak in the debate given the content of his article here, that covers, accurately, the good parts of the motion. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/home-affairs/immigration/opinion/house-commons/98218/tim-farron-mp-liberal-democrats-would
As someone who’s been a member for a good few years who can’t get to Conference it is a delight that Tony Greaves describes Conference as superbly Liberal. It’s wonderful that our party has been enhanced by new members who are loudly carrying on the fight.
I don’t think the policy is ‘dragging the party to the right’. You can look back at the days of Nick Clegg and say that was when the party was being dragged to the right, were you critical then? There is a difference between attacking xenophobia and those who demonise immigrants and having a sensible policy which recognises the benefits but also challenges that total freedom of movement brings. Even highly multi cultural Canada, has an immigration policy.