Tim Farron wins Liberal Democrat leadership election over Norman Lamb
Frontrunner Tim Farron has won the Liberal Democrat leadership election, overcoming the former minister Normal Lamb to win the post with 56.5 per cent of the vote against 43.5 per cent of the vote.
56 per cent of Lib Dem members voted.
In a campaign the party named #LibDemFightBack, alluding to the devastating General Election defeat, the party announced the winner on Twitter.
Farron, happy with the news, said the party now needed to "turn millions of liberals throughout the UK" to the Liberal Democrats:
THANK YOU! This is a liberal country. Our job now is to turn millions of liberals throughout the UK into Liberal Democrats #LibDemFightback
— Tim Farron (@timfarron) July 16, 2015
The bookmakers’ favourite, Farron, has said he wants to focus on rebuilding the party from the grassroots up, on the issues of human rights, the environment, and building a “fairer and more equal society.”
The leadership came after Nick Clegg resigned in the wake of the General Election, where his party ended up with just eight MPs, down from 57 in 2010, after voters punished the party for going in to coalition with the Conservatives.
Lib Dem heavyweights Ed Davey, Vince Cable and Danny Alexander all lost their seats.
Farron and Lamb both announced their intentions to stand within a week of Clegg’s resignation speech.
Farron is popular with activists, but has not always been renowned amongst the party veterans. He was publicly questions by Cable and Lord Ashdown, among others, for stating the Lib Dems deserved only two out of 10 for its performance while in government.