Tim Farron: Liberal Democrats are bidding to become main opposition Tim Farron has claimed that the Liberal Democrats can replace Labour as the main opposition force because Jeremy Corbyn’s party […]

Tim Farron has claimed that the Liberal Democrats can replace Labour as the main opposition force because Jeremy Corbyn’s party is locked in a “death spiral”.

Although the Lib Dems were virtually wiped out at the last election, he insisted that the extraordinary flux in western democracies could deliver a tide of seats for his party.

“I want to be the leader of the opposition. Jeremy Corbyn is a perfectly nice man, but is demonstrably the worst leader in British political history in terms of effectiveness. The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. “As things stand, a feeble Labour opposition will mean the Conservatives will have untrammelled power.” Tim Farron

Opponents will ridicule his claim as the party currently holds just nine seats and has only enjoyed a modest recovery in the opinion polls.

But Mr Farron told i that space had opened up for the Lib Dems because there was “wind in our sails”, while Labour was “holed below the waterline” and would not hold to account a Conservative government elected by a “landslide of potentially epic proportions”.

He insisted: “I want to be the leader of the opposition. Jeremy Corbyn is a perfectly nice man, but is demonstrably the worst leader in British political history in terms of effectiveness.

“As things stand, a feeble Labour opposition will mean the Conservatives will have untrammelled power.

“Britain needs a decent strong opposition and my job is to ask the British people to give that job to me.”

Dramatic shifts of allegiance

He pointed to recent dramatic shifts of political allegiance in Scotland, the United States, France and Canada, as well as last year’s surprise European referendum result, as evidence that “anything could happen” on 8 June.

Mr Farron argued that the vote for Brexit gave his party an unexpected opportunity in areas which voted heavily for Remain.

Only the Lib Dems were resisting a ‘hard Brexit’ and offered the prospect of remaining in the EU following a second referendum, he said.

“The idea that the Brexit vote permits the Government to stitch up with Brussels an as-yet-unknown deal that will be fundamental to our country for the next couple of generations without going to the people is utterly wrong.

“To those who want to remain, I say this – the only way to remain is we give the British people a say on that deal and of course they could reject that deal, in which case they would have the chance to remain.”

Asked what would be his message to Leave supporters, he said: “A British one-party state doesn’t fit anyone’s idea of democracy. I am calling upon people who believe that Britain needs a strong and decent opposition, that is clear that is proud of its country that is prepared to defend its country and prepared to defend public services, to support us.”

Membership surge

Mr Farron claimed that a 15,000 surge in membership and donations of £1.6m in the immediate aftermath of Theresa May’s election announcement was evidence of his party having a “spring in our step”.

Before the election was called Mr Farron was planning a family holiday next month in Skye. His wife, Rosie, and their four children will still go – and he hopes to visit them while campaigning in the Highlands.

He refused to be drawn on what share of the vote or how many constituencies the party was aiming to capture.

But he was more candid over its Scottish prospects, confirming the party was aiming to recapture seats in the Highlands, as well as Edinburgh West, East Dunbartonshire and North East Fife.

“Scotland desperately needs a left-of-centre progressive Unionist party. The idea people who believe in keeping the United Kingdom together have to vote Conservative is unpalatable.”

One constituency where the Lib Dem standard will not be raised is Brighton Pavilion, where the local party has decided not to stand against the Greens’ co-leader, Caroline Lucas.

Mr Farron said it was a “very special case” and he did not know of any other area where activists would take a similar step.

No post-election deals

The Lib Dem leader also firmly ruled out any post-election deal with another party – although he insisted it had been right to share power with the Conservatives in 2010.

“Neither the Conservatives nor the Labour Party are led by people with whom we think there would be any sense of having arrangements whatsoever. They held hands with each other to take us off the cliff edge of a hard Brexit,” he said.

“I do not want anybody to think voting Liberal Democrat is a proxy for voting anything else.”

Mr Farron, an evangelical Christian, dismissed accusations that his early campaigning had been overshadowed by his attitude to gay sex.

After days of sidestepping questions of whether he regarded it a sin, he finally clarified that he did not hold that view.

“I am careful about my faith, about talking about it. I think a lot of people will agree we shouldn’t getting leaders of political parties wading in and making pronouncements about sin and theology,” he said.

“It became an issue and I guess I felt the need to deal with it.”