Tim should have said "I'm out".

“We are leaving the European Union. We want to ensure our departure is smooth and orderly and to agree a deep and special partnership with the 27 remaining member states.”   

The first sentence is a fact; it’s what we voted for in the biggest popular vote the UK has ever seen.   The second sentence is an aspiration; it’s what all reasonable people want us to work towards.  

And how about “the United Kingdom will be a global champion for an open economy, free trade, and the free flow of investment, ideas and information.”  Again, an aspirational statement.  And one applauded by Remainers and Leavers alike.  Well, not all Remainers.   

But the recent YouGov poll shows that now a total of 68 per cent of respondents would like to see Britain withdraw from the EU.  According to YouGov some 45 per cent said they were Eurosceptic, while 22 per cent said they wanted the Government to ignore June's election result.  The 22% democrats?  I think not!   

The interesting thing is, a total of 23 per cent - described as “Re-Leavers” - said that they voted Remain last year, but now believe the government has a duty to carry out the will of the British people.  They are Democrats.  Not just acknowledging the decision of the people of the UK as the LibDems are doing, but accepting it.   

This leaves Tim Farron being in the unenviable position of having a manifesto that, according to YouGov, advocates a position that many people who voted Remain simply don’t associate with.   

Which is a shame because Farron, a person most outrageously maligned in recent days by people who should know better, was as an individual head and shoulders above those he shared the ITV Leaders debate stage with last night.   

He must have wondered why he didn’t say before the rather unspring debate, “I’m with Theresa and Jeremy on this, I’m out”.