Tim Farron
Encyclopedia
Timothy James Farron is a British
Liberal Democrat politician
. He is currently Member of Parliament
(MP) for the constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale
. He was elected President of the Liberal Democrats
in November 2010 and assumed the office on 1 January 2011.
High School and Runshaw College
, Leyland
, before going on to Newcastle University where he gained a BA
in Politics in 1992. He was president of Newcastle University Union Society, the first Lib Dem to hold the position, in 1991, having joined the Liberal Party
at the age of 16 and then the Liberal Democrats after the merger with the SDP. In 1990, he was elected to the National Union of Students' National Executive.
Prior to his election to Parliament
, Farron worked in higher education at Lancaster University
from 1992–2002 and St. Martin's College, Ambleside
, from 2002-5.
, where he finished in third place, 20,006 votes behind the sitting Labour Party
MP Hilary Armstrong
.
Farron served as a Councillor
on Lancashire County Council
from 1993–2000, and was also a Councillor on South Ribble Borough Council from 1995 to 1999.
Farron was selected to contest the Labour/Conservative
marginal constituency of South Ribble
at the 1997 general election
, and again finished in third place. He was a Liberal Democrat candidate for the North West region in the 1999 European Parliament elections.
At the 2001 general election
, Farron contested the Westmorland and Lonsdale
seat and finished second, reducing the majority of the sitting Conservative MP Tim Collins
to 3,167.
Farron served as a Councillor for the Milnthorpe
ward on the South Lakeland
District Council from 2004-8.
At the 2005 general election
, Farron again fought Collins in Westmorland and Lonsdale, and this time won this election by a narrow margin of just 267 votes. He made his maiden speech
in Parliament on 25 May 2005.
Farron has been a member of the Education and Skills Select Committee since his election, and later in 2005 was appointed as Youth Affairs Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats. He is the Chair of the All Party group on Hill Farming.
During Menzies Campbell
's period as the Liberal Democrat leader, Farron was Campbell's Parliamentary Private Secretary
. In 2007 he was given the responsibility as Liberal Democrat spokesman for Home Affairs
.
Farron resigned from the front bench of the Liberal Democrats on 5 March 2008 in protest at the party's abstention from a parliamentary vote on the EU referendum. However he later returned to the party's front bench as spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He is a member of the Beveridge Group
within the Liberal Democrats.
Farron was one of four Liberal Democrat MPs who voted against the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007
. On his decision voted this way Farron commented "I voted against two bits of the Equalities Act because I take a rather extreme liberal view on free speech – if I remember rightly I took the same stance on the issue as Peter Tatchell
who is not, so far as I am aware, a homophobe" and backing up this, Farron also stated "That’s why, for instance, I also voted for the abolition of the blasphemy laws".
In the 2010 General Election, Farron achieved an 11.1% swing from the Conservatives, winning by a majority of 12,264 in his historically Tory seat. This result was against the run of the rest of the party, making Westmorland and Lonsdale one of the few Lib Dem strongholds.
On 27 May 2010, Farron announced he would be standing for the position of Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, made vacant by the resignation of Vince Cable.
On 9 June, Farron lost the competition to the former party President, Simon Hughes
. Hughes won by 20 votes; having had 38 nominations from the parliamentary party, compared to Farron's 18.
On 16 September 2010, Farron announced he would be standing for the position of President of the Liberal Democrats following The Baroness Scott
's decision not to seek re-election. He won the election with 53% of the vote, beating fellow candidate Susan Kramer
on 47%.
. The couple live in Milnthorpe
, within the constituency Farron represents, with their two sons (born January 2004 and January 2006) and two daughters (including a daughter born in September 2001), the younger son being born since his election to Parliament. He is a church-going Anglican who describes "becoming a Christian at the age of eighteen as the most massive choice I have made"
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Liberal Democrat politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He is currently Member of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
(MP) for the constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale
Westmorland and Lonsdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Westmorland and Lonsdale is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
. He was elected President of the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
in November 2010 and assumed the office on 1 January 2011.
Early life
Farron was born in Preston, Lancashire and was educated at Lostock HallLostock Hall
Lostock Hall is a small suburban village within the South Ribble borough of Lancashire, England. It is located on the south side of the River Ribble, some south of Preston and north of Leyland. It is bordered on its southeastern side by the interchange for the M6, M61 and M65 motorways...
High School and Runshaw College
Runshaw College
Runshaw College is a further and higher education college based at three centres in Leyland and Chorley, Lancashire, England.-History:The college was founded in Leyland when the sixth forms of Parklands High School and Balshaw's CE High School were amalgamated in 1974 to make a sixth form college...
, Leyland
Leyland, Lancashire
Leyland is a town in the South Ribble borough of Lancashire, England, approximately six miles south of the city of Preston.Throughout the 20th and 21st century, the community has seen a large growth in industry, population and farming, due to the establishment of Leyland Motors, housing...
, before going on to Newcastle University where he gained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Politics in 1992. He was president of Newcastle University Union Society, the first Lib Dem to hold the position, in 1991, having joined the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
at the age of 16 and then the Liberal Democrats after the merger with the SDP. In 1990, he was elected to the National Union of Students' National Executive.
Prior to his election to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, Farron worked in higher education at Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
from 1992–2002 and St. Martin's College, Ambleside
Ambleside
Ambleside is a town in Cumbria, in North West England.Historically within the county of Westmorland, it is situated at the head of Windermere, England's largest lake...
, from 2002-5.
Political career
Farron contested the North West Durham constituency at the 1992 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
, where he finished in third place, 20,006 votes behind the sitting Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
MP Hilary Armstrong
Hilary Armstrong
Hilary Jane Armstrong, Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for North West Durham from 1987 to 2010.-Early life:...
.
Farron served as a Councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
on Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. It currently consists of 84 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, who won control of the council in the local council elections in June 2009, ending 28 years of...
from 1993–2000, and was also a Councillor on South Ribble Borough Council from 1995 to 1999.
Farron was selected to contest the Labour/Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
marginal constituency of South Ribble
South Ribble (UK Parliament constituency)
South Ribble is a county constituency in Lancashire, England represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, and again finished in third place. He was a Liberal Democrat candidate for the North West region in the 1999 European Parliament elections.
At the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, Farron contested the Westmorland and Lonsdale
Westmorland and Lonsdale (UK Parliament constituency)
Westmorland and Lonsdale is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
seat and finished second, reducing the majority of the sitting Conservative MP Tim Collins
Tim Collins (politician)
Timothy William George Collins, CBE, is a British politician, once a prominent member of the Conservative Party. Collins was active in the 1990s and was later the Member of Parliament for Westmorland and Lonsdale in north-west England from 1997 until defeat at the 2005 general...
to 3,167.
Farron served as a Councillor for the Milnthorpe
Milnthorpe
Milnthorpe is a large village within the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. Straddling the A6 road, the town contains several old hostelries and hosts a market in The Square every Friday...
ward on the South Lakeland
South Lakeland
South Lakeland is a local government district in Cumbria, England. Its council is based in Kendal. It includes much of the Lake District.The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972...
District Council from 2004-8.
At the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, Farron again fought Collins in Westmorland and Lonsdale, and this time won this election by a narrow margin of just 267 votes. He made his maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
in Parliament on 25 May 2005.
Farron has been a member of the Education and Skills Select Committee since his election, and later in 2005 was appointed as Youth Affairs Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats. He is the Chair of the All Party group on Hill Farming.
During Menzies Campbell
Menzies Campbell
Sir Walter Menzies "Ming" Campbell, CBE, QC, MP is a British Liberal Democrat politician and advocate, and a retired sprinter. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Fife, and was the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2 March 2006 until 15 October 2007.Campbell held the British record...
's period as the Liberal Democrat leader, Farron was Campbell's Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
. In 2007 he was given the responsibility as Liberal Democrat spokesman for Home Affairs
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
.
Farron resigned from the front bench of the Liberal Democrats on 5 March 2008 in protest at the party's abstention from a parliamentary vote on the EU referendum. However he later returned to the party's front bench as spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He is a member of the Beveridge Group
Beveridge Group
The Beveridge Group is a centre-left group within the Liberal Democrat party in the UK. It was set up in 2001 by MPs Alistair Carmichael, Paul Holmes, John Barrett and John Pugh to promote debate within the party regarding public service provision....
within the Liberal Democrats.
Farron was one of four Liberal Democrat MPs who voted against the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007
Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations
The Equality Act Regulations are secondary legislation in the United Kingdom, outlawing discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities, services, education and public functions on the grounds of sexual orientation....
. On his decision voted this way Farron commented "I voted against two bits of the Equalities Act because I take a rather extreme liberal view on free speech – if I remember rightly I took the same stance on the issue as Peter Tatchell
Peter Tatchell
Peter Gary Tatchell is an Australian-born British political campaigner best known for his work with LGBT social movements...
who is not, so far as I am aware, a homophobe" and backing up this, Farron also stated "That’s why, for instance, I also voted for the abolition of the blasphemy laws".
In the 2010 General Election, Farron achieved an 11.1% swing from the Conservatives, winning by a majority of 12,264 in his historically Tory seat. This result was against the run of the rest of the party, making Westmorland and Lonsdale one of the few Lib Dem strongholds.
On 27 May 2010, Farron announced he would be standing for the position of Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, made vacant by the resignation of Vince Cable.
On 9 June, Farron lost the competition to the former party President, Simon Hughes
Simon Hughes
Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British politician and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Until 2008 he was President of the Liberal Democrats...
. Hughes won by 20 votes; having had 38 nominations from the parliamentary party, compared to Farron's 18.
On 16 September 2010, Farron announced he would be standing for the position of President of the Liberal Democrats following The Baroness Scott
Rosalind Scott, Baroness Scott of Needham Market
Rosalind Carol "Ros" Scott, Baroness Scott of Needham Market is a British politician who is a member of the House of Lords. Baroness Scott was president of Liberal Democrats between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2010 and was succeeded by Tim Farron-Early life and education:The daughter of...
's decision not to seek re-election. He won the election with 53% of the vote, beating fellow candidate Susan Kramer
Susan Kramer
Susan Veronica Kramer, Baroness Kramer is a British Liberal Democrat politician. She was Member of Parliament for Richmond Park from 2005 to 2010, having been an unsuccessful candidate in the London mayoral election in 2000....
on 47%.
Personal life
Farron married Rosemary Cantley in July 2000 in LancasterLancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
. The couple live in Milnthorpe
Milnthorpe
Milnthorpe is a large village within the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. Straddling the A6 road, the town contains several old hostelries and hosts a market in The Square every Friday...
, within the constituency Farron represents, with their two sons (born January 2004 and January 2006) and two daughters (including a daughter born in September 2001), the younger son being born since his election to Parliament. He is a church-going Anglican who describes "becoming a Christian at the age of eighteen as the most massive choice I have made"
External links
- Tim Farron MP official site
- Party President of the Liberal Democrats
- Profile at the Liberal Democrats