Lib Dem leader Tim Farron blasts ‘bullying’ George Osborne’s Brexit budget and says it swung EU vote
Tim Farron said he shared Leave voters' anger at Osborne for trying to intimidate voters into following him
“Bullying” George Osborne’s doomsday Brexit budget tipped Britain out of the EU, Lib Dem chief Tim Farron will claim today.
In a blistering conference speech attack, pro-EU Mr Farron will accuse the former Chancellor of swinging the referendum for Brexit by scaremongering.
After discussing the referendum result with voters in the North West, Mr Farron claims “there was near universal acknowledgement that” Mr Osborne’s “warnings of tax hikes and market collapses” “had been the pivotal moment.”
In his speech to the Lib Dem party faithful in Brighton this afternoon, he is expected to say: “Here was this guy, George Osborne, who they didn’t really like and who they felt didn’t really like them.”
“And he’d appeared on the telly bullying them into doing something they weren’t sure they wanted to do. And they reacted.”
He will add: “You see, if you base your political strategy on divide and rule, do not be surprised if the people you have divided decide to give you a kicking.”
Mr Farron claims he does not blame Leave votes “for their anger – actually, I share it. I’m angry.”
Yesterday the Lib Dem boss confessed to mourning Brexit like a death.
Speaking to the BBC from Brighton the struggling party leader said “there is a sense of bereavement because it wasn't just about losing an election, there was a sense of losing your identity.”
related stories
He added: “So I do feel personally shattered by the result. I hope people who voted the other way will forgive me for putting it in those sort of terms.”
The annual Lib Dem gathering in Brighton has seen outpourings of grief about the EU referendum result.
Streams of delegates have taken to the conference stage to rage against Brexit.
Spearheading the whining was Mr Farron, who told his members: “frankly you're right not to give up, if you believe passionately in something you should keep fighting.”
“You don't have to give up, for pity's sake," Mr Farron told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Closing the conference this afternoon, Mr Farron wall also unveil plans to raise taxes to fund the NHS and social care projects.