Farron to run for Liberal Democrat deputy
I write this from holiday in Westmorland in Cumbria where I have learnt that the local MP, Tim Farron, plans to stand for deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats.
The current deputy, Vince Cable, the new business secretary in the coalition government, announced last night that he was standing down from the party post to concentrate on his government job.
Farron, increased his majority by over 8,000 at the election, turning Westmorland and Lonsdale from a marginal seat into a safe one.
Surprisingly, however, Farron failed to get a ministerial job in the new coalition.
Strangely, the department he was previously shadowing, Defra, is the only major ministry without a Lib Dem.
Farron, who is firmly on the left of the party, must be in a strong position to win the post of Lib Dem deputy.
In his five years as an MP he has become a popular figure among Lib Dem grass roots activists.
He has acquired the job of making the fund-raising speech at party conferences - tub-thumping yet witty.
A friend claims Farron has "already secured the support of a quarter of Lib Dem MPs including one former leader, and most of new intake".
Liberal Democrat MPs will elect the new deputy leader on 9 June. Farron is not expected formally to announce his candidacy just yet.
Although Lib Dem MPs and activists voted overwhelmingly to back the new coalition at their special conference 10 days ago, MPs may prefer as their deputy leader a figure who is not a member of the coalition, in order to help preserve the party's own identity.
Other strong contenders with such credentials may include the long-standing Bermondsey MP and ex-party president Simon Hughes.
He is expected to declare his intentions later the week.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 27th May 2010, barriesingleton wrote:BUT WHERE DOES HE STAND ON 'LIES FOR VOTES'?
Young Nick has allied the white/pure Lib/Dems to Dave's Conservatives who saw fit to print an enormous porky in NEWBURY, presumably to garner more votes than the LibDems - the only threat here.
I am engaged in investigation of the legality of what was done, and being 'blanked' by every authority and officer I contact.
This is definitely 'one for Michael'. Unlimited scope for embarrassing the Coalition and all who assail in her.
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Comment number 2.
At 27th May 2010, stevie wrote:nick clegg will go down as the Marshal Petain,Quisling and Blair and with the same insincere smile.....
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Comment number 3.
At 27th May 2010, libdemletdown wrote:Tim Farron repeatedly told Labour voters to vote for him to keep the Tories out. The Labour vote reduced. Tim Farron should apologise. I hope those that were conned by the Lib Dems will never be duped by such a plea in the future.
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Comment number 4.
At 27th May 2010, barriesingleton wrote:I DO HOPE IT TURNS OUT TO BE A TORY 'CENTRAL OFFICE PORKY' (#3)
Thanks LDMD. I wonder if there is a Conservative flyer from Westmorland and Lonsdale, still LYING about? One thing is certain - there will be no statutary requirement to archive election literature - the paper trail has long gone in the shredder. Did the W and L final flyer - ca May 5th - say: "THE CONSERVATIVES MUST WIN HERE TO STOP ANOTHER 5 YEARS OF GORDON BROWN"?
I would so like to know. I already DO know that Great Britain has a culture of LIES FOR VOTES that is almost unassailable.
Whether we are trying to get the feckless-ish to work or the bankers to stop gambling, or simply to find a Prime Minister with INTEGRITY:
CULTURE IS THE KEY.
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Comment number 5.
At 27th May 2010, barriesingleton wrote:FAIR STOOD THE WIND TO PRANCE
Prancing Dave says he is listening to ALL his lieutenants (including defective defector Davis). In the Age of Fairness, blown on a Wind of Change, they will surely be ignored, strictly in the order in which they had the temerity to challenge him! Well - it's only FAIR!
Oh - it's all going awfully well.
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Comment number 6.
At 27th May 2010, WillmikeAnderson wrote:You found this out on holiday? Relax for one Crickey
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Comment number 7.
At 28th May 2010, Local Liberal wrote:Hope you're having a great holiday! If you're here for the weekend then be sure to visit "Countryfest" and I'll sell you a Westmorland Sausage (Cumberland and Westmorland Sausage Co)
Just a slight correction, Tim put 12,000 votes onto his majority, and they were mostly previous Conservative votes - a huge achievement!
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