Local MP Tim Farron has welcomed the publication of a new survey by Windermere & Bowness Chamber of Trade which shows overwhelming support for extending the business rates holiday.

Most of the local businesses in the hospitality, tourism and retail sectors that responded to the survey favoured a 12-month extension to help the economy grow after lockdown.

Last night, South Lakes MP Tim Farron voted in favour of a Parliamentary motion calling for the Government to scrap plans to cut Universal Credit.

A £20-a-week increase in Universal Credit was introduced last year to help families cope during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that is set to expire at the end of March.

More than half of young people in South Lakeland have described their mental health as 'poor', according to a brand-new survey conducted by local MP Tim Farron.

The online survey of more than 1,600 South Lakes residents also found that more than 7 in 10 people aged 19 or younger said that their mental health is worse than this time last year, with many referencing the stress of exams and their inability to plan for the future.

Commenting on today's news that a Supreme Court ruling is set to force insurers to pay out on disputed coronavirus claims, local MP Tim Farron said: "It's almost a year since my office was inundated with desperate local businesses who were being thrown to the wolves by insurance companies refusing to pay out.

In Parliament this week, South Lakes MP Tim Farron made the case for the Government to publish the latest vaccination figures for every local authority and postcode.

Speaking during a Westminster Hall debate, Tim said: "I want to emphasise the importance of data, so that we can hold the Government to account.