Tim Farron says he has ‘no plans’ to share a platform with Tony Blair amid rumours he will join forces with the former PM for the upcoming election
TIM FARRON has said that sharing a platform with Tony Blair is "not on the cards" amid rumours the two could join forces in the upcoming election.
The Liberal Democrat leader told LBC today it wasn't on the cards.
Mr Farron - whose party has almost doubled its membership since the 2015 election - said he was confident of his party's prospects.
"This is a chance for Britain to choose a different direction," he told LBC.
Three former Lib Dem Coalition ministers - Vince Cable, Ed Davey and Simon Hughes - have vowed to fight for their old seats back in London.
But former Labour PM Mr Blair has been ruffling feathers by saying that voters should back MPs who would be prepared to vote against Theresa May's Brexit deal - even if they were not from the Labour Party.
The political situation facing the country was “unprecedented and dangerous” and warranted an equally “unique response”, he said.
Writing in a blog post on his website, the former PM said: “This should cross Party lines.”
And today Mr Farron said: "I have only heard that via another journalist. I have had no invitation so far.
He went on: "I have no plans. I don't suspect that we would do that.
"I take the view that it is good to work with people in other parties.
"This might be a moment that others... should understand that their parties have now left them and the Liberal Democrats are the place you should come."
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Mr Blair added yesterday: “We risk a Parliament which is lop-sided in its make-up; which has a big Tory majority – in part delivered not because of the intrinsic merits of Brexit or the Tories themselves but because of the state of Labour; where they will claim a mandate to take us wherever they will; when we desperately need representatives who will at least keep an open mind.”
It wouldn't be the first time the Lib Dems have worked with other parties. Nick Clegg went into Coalition Government with David Cameron in 2010 - and Mr Farron campaigned with the former PM in the run-up to the EU referendum.
Yesterday Mrs May shocked Westminster by calling for a snap vote.
She will have to win a vote in Parliament today to make it happen - and needs the support of two thirds of MPs for it to go through.
Polling day is planned for June 8.
Mr Blair has been campaigning to keep us in the EU - even after the decisive referendum result.
He's set up a group to help fight Brexit too.
Mr Farron wants the same - with an opportunity for the people to reject the final Brexit deal in ANOTHER referendum.
But he is pleased with the call for another election - as he is confident his party can win back seats in the South West they lost in 2015.
Yesterday Lib Dems welcomed Mr Blair's message, and said they would welcome his support.
Last night a senior Lib Dem source indicated that they would be willing to work with the desperate Remainer: "We are the only party that opposes a hard Brexit and believes that the British people should have their say in a second EU referendum.
"If any politicians, from Tony Blair to Chuka Umunna, agree with us, then we will welcome their support.
"We will be working every day to win Liberal Democrat votes and have greater representation in the House of Commons."