About Tim Farron

MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale since 2005

Tim and Rosie Farron and (some) of the family

Tim first joined the Liberal Party aged 16 while he was still at School. After he gained a place at Newcastle University to read politics in 1988, Tim went on to become the first Liberal Democrat President of Newcastle University Union in 1991-92. In 1990 he also served as the sole Liberal Democrat on the National Union of Students National Executive. During this time Tim gained a national profile for standing up against extremism and intolerance in the, hard-left and Labour dominated, NUS.

After the completion of his degree, Tim followed a career in the Higher Education sector. Before winning the Westmorland and Lonsdale seat in May 2005, he worked as a senior manager at St Martin's College at Ambleside, Lancaster and Carlisle.

As he has worked in higher education for thirteen years before his election to Parliament, and as a local parent who has served as a school governor of the Dallam School in Milnthorpe, Tim is deeply committed to high quality education for all. Yet, Tim's interest in the public services extends beyond that. He is deeply involved in campaigns to prevent health cuts in South Lakeland - he has already encouraged 27,000 local people to sign his petition and is working alongside sub-post masters to prevent branch closures in his constituency. Tim is also a leading national advocate for farming and rural communities and, in particular, for the need for more genuinely affordable homes for local people in order to keep those communities viable. In May 2005, Tim secured the Westmorland and Lonsdale seat in Westminster for the Liberal Democrats. He defeated the Conservative candidate and ended a 95 year rule of the seat by the Tories.

Westmorland and Lonsdale General Election Result 2005.

Following this win, Tim has been extremely busy both in Parliament and especially, within his constituency. In 2005 he was appointed the Liberal Democrat Youth spokesman, and in March 2006 became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Party leader Ming Campbell. Following the election of Nick Clegg as Party Leader in December 2007, Tim was promoted to the Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet and now serves as the Shadow Minister for the Countryside and Rural Affairs.

Tim lives in Milnthorpe, south Cumbria, with his wife Rosie, his daughters Isabella and Gracie and his sons Jude and Laurie. In his limited spare time, Tim enjoys following the (mis)fortunes of Blackburn Rovers, playing football, walking in the Lake District, listening to various kinds of music and spending time with family and friends.

MPs Expenses

In accordance with the Liberal Democrats' pledge to publish quarterly details of MPs' expenses, Tim Farron MP has published details of his.

Follow this link to view details of Tim's expenses.