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THE LEADER OF the Liberal Democrats in the UK has declined to directly answer if he believes being gay is a sin.
Cathy Newman asked Tim Farron about the issue during an interview on Channel 4 News.
Echoing previous comments he made, Farron said: ”I’m not in a position to go making theological pronouncements and, I can promise you one thing, over the next six weeks, I’m not going to spend my time talking theology or making pronouncements.”
He added: “As a liberal I’m passionate about equality, about equal marriage, about equal rights for LGBT people, for fighting not just for LGBT rights in this country but overseas.
“Just because I’m a Christian, I think it’d be a bit boring for everybody to spend the next six weeks asking me to make theological pronouncements and I’m not planning to do so.”
His comments were criticised by some people as unacceptable and outdated.
Others, including Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Featherstone, a prominent same-sex marriage supporter, defended Farron’s record on LGBT issues.
Farron previously abstained from votes on same-sex marriage, later saying he regretted this.
In a 2015 interview with Channel 4 News, Freeman also asked Farron if he believed that being gay was a sin. He gave a similar answer at the time, saying: “We are all sinners.”
Farron then denied that a Christian couldn’t be a liberal, saying of the Lib Dems:
This is the party that is based upon religious tolerance and indeed the tolerance of people who are not religious at all and defending the rights of every individual, whether they be a member of a minority or not.
Last week, Farron criticised the persecution of gay people in Chechnya, telling PinkNews: “These reports from Chechnya are truly horrifying, and represent an extreme manifestation of increasing homophobic brutality and intolerance in Putin’s Russia.
“The UK government must strongly condemn this disgusting violence, and use every possibly opportunity to raise this with the Russian government, as well as in the UN and other international bodies.”
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Perhaps this article should have been updated to reflect the new Central Bank rules, no?
Seems a bit of a miss alright!
Headline is incorrect. Should read – applying for a mortgage from a bank that hasn’t got a clue?
Hi Sinead,
We have a whole separate article done on what deposits are now required and there is a link included in this article in the first question. Here is the link anyway to the new mortgage rules: http://businessetc.thejournal.ie/mortgage-regulations-1906185-Jan2015/
And here is another link on what €220,000 will get you as a first-home buyer across the country: http://www.thejournal.ie/first-home-mortgage-rules-ireland-1906790-Jan2015/
Hope this helps and thanks for reading.
I really don’t understand the focus on first time buyers in the mortgage market to the exclusion of all others. Sure new people need to buy houses. But buying a house when you already have one, releasing equity for deposit, being in a chain, negative equity, affordability, trading down, etc are all far more complicated for those with houses.
We talk of a property ladder but rarely get advice or political incentives beyond getting on the first rung!
Brokers don’t always go for the best deal for the client- some will favour the bank the get the best commission from which may not always be the best or cheapest deal for the client
Steer clear of Pmtsb with them over 30
Years direct debit was returned last week for 16 cent then they charged me €10.69 for in sufficient funds and transaction I asked for a 10 euro over draft no was the ans dish it out to ter friends tgh no prob is that sad
I think every bank is same. Unpaid DD fee is always about 10 eur – even when you were to pay 5 cents DD. Just make list of your DD in a month and make sure you have enough funds on the day (or if you always come very close, but then are able to pay it up, then apply for overdraft – watch out though – there are some fees for it too…).
Plenty bankers on here this morn
Mortgage Brokers are always your best option. They deal with the bank on your behalf and help prepare the application from the outset. Log on to brm.ie to see how it works.
You manage with bit of cheeky advertising there, hence red thumbs, but I agree – unless you are very good with financial matters then brokers are way to go, there will be some fee probably in the end, but it may still be very worth it, they know the business inside out so will save you some bad decision making and lot of time.
SOme lenders don’t deal with brokers – so you might get a better deal doing the legwork yourself.
Banks do not want to speak with self employed dudes. Just for the laugh, I did an online application stating I had 90% deposit of a 400k home (looking to borrow just 40k)…And not a single phone call back!!
The article doesn’t tell me the steps on getting a mortgage at all. Were do i start!
8% deposit for a €400,000 house. That’s madness if you couldn’t afford it. I suppose you were given a credit card to splash out on after the stress of buying the house as well.
PP online again! argghh!
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