The Liberal Democrats have withdrawn their Party Election Broadcast that was due to air on BBC One in England this evening. The party is replacing it with a heartfelt, personal and non-political message from leader Tim Farron following the heinous attack in Manchester on Monday.
In the emotive and deeply personal message, recorded yesterday, he reflects on his experience of visiting Manchester for the vigil in Albert Square on Tuesday night.
He goes on to talk of his love for Manchester, which he describes as ‘his capital’ having grown up in Lancashire, about the people he met there on Tuesday and the human acts of kindness and solidarity in response to the atrocity. He also says that while those who died will be remembered, the terrorist who killed them ‘died in vain’ attempting to divide a community that has rallied together instead.
He ends by quoting the poet Tony Walsh, who spoke at the vigil, saying that we are ‘all Manchester’ and ‘all Britain’, “whether we were born here or drawn here”.