Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has backed calls made by the NFU and the Dairy Coalition who are asking the Government to 'call in' milk buyers who do not implement the voluntary code.

The Voluntary Code was agreed by the farming community, processing representatives and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as the preferred policy alternative to legislation that was proposed by the European Commission. This followed the controversy that emerged last year when supermarkets and other milk buyers decided to reduce the amount of money that farmers receive for their milk, putting even some of the most established dairy farmers at risk.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed new that the famous Lakeland Kerdwick meat has been granted EU protected status, putting it alongside Champagne, Scotch Whisky and Parma Ham.

Being elevated to protected status means that only meat from the Herdwick breed that is born, raised and slaughtered in the county of Cumbria can me described as Lakeland Herwick.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed the passing into law of the Grocery Code Adjudicator Bill, commonly known as the Supermarket Ombudsman, as "real support for Cumbria's farmers."

The Groceries Code Adjudicator Act received Royal Assent last Thursday and creates a new body with the power to name and shame the ten biggest supermarkets if they mistreat their suppliers, with ultimate powers to impose fines.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has this afternoon slammed the County Council's Conservative leader Eddie Martin and Labour Deputy Leader Stewart Young for agreeing to a huge pay off for Chief Executive Jill Stannard who is taking early retirement.

Her application for early retirement has been agreed today by the County Council's Chief Officer Panel. In an email to staff, the council described the decision as 'driven by the need for service efficiencies.' Tim has contacted the council and asked for full details of these alleged cost savings, their efficiency document outlining the savings and the cost of the 'golden handshake' attached to her early retirement.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has called the arrests of two members of police staff a 'threat to free speech'.

Two police workers have been arrested after details of the Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner's expenses for evening functions were leaked. A 47-year-old man and 50-year-old woman were held after documents were revealed detailing the expenses of the commissioner, who was elected as a Conservative candidate just last November.

Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has this morning thanked the Government for responding to his persistent calls over the past fortnight to support farmers in light of the recent devastating weather conditions by agreeing to provide financial compensation to farmers to help dispose of fallen stock.

Earlier this month Tim wrote to the Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson, following an announcement by the Scottish Government that they would be offering funding to farmers to help cope with the impact of the weather, to call for a similar offer to be made to English farmers, particularly those in the Northwest, who have been worst affected by the snow.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has issued a call encouraging local people to come forward as volunteers for this year's Kendal Torchlight Carnival.

Event organisers are searching for 160 people to help marshal the event, as well as others to work as members of the organising team. Last year saw the event cancelled for the first time in its 42 year history due to a lack of marshals and other volunteers, causing huge disappointment to hundreds of local families.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed news that 813 families in Cumbria will get access to 15 hours of free childcare from September this year as the Government invests £2,247,482 to support Cumbria poorest toddlers.

This is in addition to the £100m investment in capital spending for additional nursery places announced by the Deputy Prime Minster, Nick Clegg, last year.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron is urging local people to get involved and enter the Enterprising Britain Awards 2013 to demonstrate the entrepreneurial flair in the Lake District.

The annual Enterprising Britain Awards form part of the Department of Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) ongoing work to highlight the range of enterprising areas across the UK and is open to all cities, towns, places, areas or organisations in the UK that promote enterprise, entrepreneurship and exporting, in partnership with public bodies.