Farron’s Resignation Sparks Lib Dem Leader Betting Bonanza

The rippling knock-on effects of the neither-one-thing-nor-the-other UK general election result claimed another victim this week as leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron, announced he'd stand down during the summer recess and allow his party to elect a new one. Given their lack of success at the ballot box this wasn't wholly unexpected however his stated reasoning was a tad bizarre and any prospective Lib Dem leader betting they'll be able to do better is probably fooling themselves.

Next Lib Dem Leader

• Mark Williams – 20/1
• Alistair Carmichael – 20/1
• Ed Davey – 8/1
• Norman Lamb – 7/2
• Vince Cable – 7/2
• Jo Swinson – 4/7

It is traditional in British politics that when one wishes to hide the truth for one's departure from the British media that one claims one wishes to spend more time with one's family. Tim Farron however indicated he has every intention of going and spending more time with his bible, which is novel in this day and age, and seemed to suggest that one could either be a Christian OR a front line politician but not both. Apparently any Lib Dem leader betting they can be both is wrong, and so Tim departed.

“The consequences of the focus on my faith is that I have found myself torn between living as a faithful Christian and serving as a political leader.” Said Tim, continuing a bit like someone who likes to bet on sports in the UK complaining about the number of bookmakers like Bet365 there are online; “To be a political leader – especially of a progressive, liberal party in 2017 – and to live as a committed Christian, to hold faithfully to the Bible's teachings, has felt impossible for me.”

Can Christianity & Politics Really Be Mutually Exclusive?

“I seem to be the subject of suspicion because of what I believe and who my faith is in.” Farron lamented as if having faith in an invisible non-existent being was a sensible course for someone trying to lead a modern political party, and who had been grilled on his attitude to homosexuality. He seemed to feel this was unfair, and exuded angry surprise that people felt it necessary to ask him about it. Farron apparently the only Lib Dem leader betting the Lib Dems weren't going to be full of Liberals.

So with the Christian Chimp standing aside the party has to look around for another leader, and with so few MPs that really shouldn't be too tricky, although some of the obvious candidates might face a bit of resistance given they were part of the ghastly Tory/Lib Dem coalition under Nick Clegg who thankfully lost his seat last Thursday. UK gambling laws, of course, allow some Lib Dem leader betting and so we should probably take a look at the odds on the runners in the race to be the next leader of the party at Bet365.

Bet365 Has All The Lib Dem Leader Betting Odds

The massive outside bet is Lembit Opik, an alien who at 500/1 is being given very generous odds in the Lib Dem leader betting stakes, although the equally impossible Nick Clegg gets 80/1at Bet365 saying all you need to know about betting on the Cheeky Girls fan. Perhaps the sensible wagers start around the 20/1 mark with Mark Williams or Alistair Carmichael, although both of those would require some of the front runners to drop out dramatically, and after that we're into the people that really have a hope.

Ed Davey gets 8/1 at Bet365 just hovering behind the Lib Dem leader betting favorites, with Norman Lamb and Vince Cable both getting a decent 7/2, and frankly you'd expect the latter to walk this if it weren't for the backlash against Farron's closet Christianity which may push the 4/7 shot of Jo Swinson into the job instead. Of course anyone in the US gambling news of Farron's departure will be the last major effect of the UK general election result last week has another thing coming. This ain't over yet.