Tim Farron, (remember him?), is giving a speech at the IPPR think tank today. He’ll be making the case that the referendum result should be ignored and that Britain should stay in the EU regardless. With a straight face, Farron will say: “we are in danger of letting malevolent forces hijack the result”. Quite.

Farron used to be much so better at accepting defeat. After the 2011 AV referendum, he accepted the result and vowed that “as a democrat” he would always listen to the will of the people. He said it was important not to come across as a “sore loser”.

“The people have spoken. I am very proud that we have given people the opportunity to have a say about the way they elect their MPs. It’s the first time in British history that we, the people, have been able to make such a decision. And, as I said, the people have spoken. As a democrat, I fully accept and respect that result; accept that we failed to bring the country with us on this issue. I could now engage in petty recriminations and try to assert the blame on someone: to paraphrase the Canadian Liberal party leader Michael Ignatieff, the only thing Britons like less than a loser is a sore loser.”

Perhaps 2016 Tim Farron should listen to 2011 Tim Farron…