Tim Farron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tim Farron
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Leader of the Liberal Democrats | |
| In office 16 July 2015 – 20 July 2017 |
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| Deputy | Jo Swinson (2017) |
| President | Sal Brinton |
| Preceded by | Nick Clegg |
| Succeeded by | Vince Cable |
| President of the Liberal Democrats | |
| In office 1 January 2011 – 1 January 2015 |
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| Leader | Nick Clegg |
| Preceded by | Ros Scott |
| Succeeded by | Sal Brinton |
| Member of Parliament for Westmorland and Lonsdale |
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| Assumed office 5 May 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Tim Collins |
| Majority | 21,472 (43.3%) |
| Liberal Democrat portfolios | |
| 2008–2010, 2017–2019, 2020, 2022–present |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| 2015 | Foreign and Commonwealth Office |
| 2019–2020 | Work and Pensions |
| 2019–2020 | Northern Powerhouse |
| 2019–2022 | Housing, Communities and Local Government |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Timothy James Farron
27 May 1970 Preston, Lancashire, England |
| Political party | Liberal Democrats |
| Other political affiliations |
Liberal (1986–1988) |
| Spouse |
Rosemary Cantley
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Newcastle University |
| Signature |  |
Timothy James Farron (born 27 May 1970) is a British politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Democrats political party from 2015 to 2017. Since 2005, he has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Westmorland and Lonsdale. Currently, he is the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Before becoming an MP, he worked in universities.
Farron was also the President of the Liberal Democrats from 2011 to 2014. He has held several important roles, including spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and for Work and Pensions.
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Early Life and Education
Tim Farron was born in Preston, Lancashire. He went to Lostock Hall High School and Runshaw College. Later, he studied Politics at Newcastle University, graduating in 1992.
When he was young, Farron was interested in politics. He joined the Liberal Party at age 16. In 1990, he was elected to the National Union of Students' National Executive. The next year, he became president of Newcastle University Union Society. Before becoming an MP, he worked at Lancaster University (1992–2002) and St. Martin's College (2002–2005).
Parliamentary Career
Early Political Steps (Before 2005)
Farron first tried to become an MP in 1992 for North West Durham. He came third in that election.
He also served as a local councillor. He was on Lancashire County Council from 1993 to 2000. He was also a councillor for Leyland Central ward on South Ribble Borough Council from 1995 to 1999.
In the 1997 general election, he stood in South Ribble and again came third. He also ran in the 1999 European Parliament elections for the North West region.
In the 2001 general election, Farron ran for the Westmorland and Lonsdale seat. He came second, reducing the majority of the sitting Conservative MP, Tim Collins. From 2004 to 2008, he was a councillor for the Milnthorpe ward on the South Lakeland District Council.
Becoming an MP (2005–2009)
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In the 2005 general election, Tim Farron ran against Tim Collins again in Westmorland and Lonsdale. This time, Farron won by a very small number of votes (just 267). He gave his first speech in Parliament on 25 May 2005.
As a new MP, he joined the Education and Skills Select Committee. He also became the Liberal Democrats' spokesperson for Youth Affairs. In 2005, he started the all-party parliamentary group for hill farming, which he still chairs.
When Menzies Campbell was the Liberal Democrat leader, Farron worked as his Parliamentary Private Secretary. In 2007, he became a Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Home Affairs. He later became the party's spokesperson for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Roles and Elections (2010–2015)
In the 2010 general election, Farron was re-elected as MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale. He significantly increased his share of the vote and his majority. This was a strong result for him, making his constituency a key area for the Liberal Democrats.
On 27 May 2010, Farron ran for the position of Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He lost to Simon Hughes.
On 16 September 2010, Farron ran for the position of President of the Liberal Democrats. He won this election with 53% of the votes.
He was re-elected as an MP in the 2015 general election. After this election, many people thought he would become the next leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Leading the Liberal Democrats (2015–2017)
In May 2015, Tim Farron announced he would run for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats. On 16 July, he won the election with 56.5% of the votes, beating Norman Lamb.
His first speech as leader at the Liberal Democrat Conference in September 2015 was well-received.
In the 2017 general election, Farron was re-elected, but his majority was much smaller (just 777 votes). After the election, he announced he would step down as party leader. He explained that he felt "torn between living as a faithful Christian and serving as a political leader." He remained leader until Vince Cable was elected as the new party leader.
After Leadership (2017–Present)
Farron was re-elected as an MP in the 2019 general election. He increased his share of the vote and his majority.
In the 2024 general election, Farron was re-elected again with an even larger majority of 21,472 votes. He received 31,061 votes, which was the highest number for any candidate in that election.
Political Views
Tim Farron is generally seen as having left-leaning political views. In an interview in 2016, he described the Liberal Democrats under his leadership as being centre-left.
Key Policies as Leader
In August 2015, Farron highlighted seven main areas he wanted the Liberal Democrats to focus on:
- Rural affairs (issues affecting the countryside)
- The EU referendum (about Britain's membership in the European Union)
- Mental health support
- Immigration policies
- Civil liberties (people's rights and freedoms)
- The green economy (focusing on environmentally friendly growth)
- Housing issues
Welfare
In 2012, Farron was one of only two Liberal Democrat MPs to vote against the under-occupancy penalty, also known as the "bedroom tax." This was a policy that reduced housing benefits for people living in homes with spare bedrooms.
Education
In December 2010, he voted against increasing the maximum amount universities could charge for undergraduate tuition fees. He believed it was important to keep promises made about not raising fees.
Migration
Farron was one of the first senior British politicians to support the idea of the EU taking in more refugees during the Mediterranean crisis. He asked the UK to accept up to 60,000 non-EU refugees. He spoke at a Refugee solidarity march in London in September 2015. He has criticized the government's refugee policy, calling it "cowardly and heartless."
Supporting Women and Minorities
Farron has stated that he wants 50% of the Liberal Democrats' target seats in elections to be represented by women. He also aims for 10% of target seats to be represented by black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) candidates.
When he appointed party spokespeople, many praised his choices for being diverse. More women were given important roles, including in defence and economics.
LGBT Rights
In 2007, he voted against the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations. This law aimed to stop businesses from treating people unfairly because of their sexual orientation.
In 2013, he voted in favor of allowing marriage between two people of the same sex during the second reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. He also voted in favor of extending the right to same-sex marriage to military personnel outside the UK in 2014. According to the website Public Whip, he has a high rating (90.4%) for supporting same-sex marriage.
European Union
Even though he described himself as a "bit of a Eurosceptic" (someone who is cautious about the European Union), Farron strongly supported Britain staying in the European Union. He criticized David Cameron's efforts to change the UK's relationship with the EU, saying it was more about pleasing other politicians.
After the 2016 referendum where voters chose to leave the EU, Farron stated that if the Liberal Democrats won the next election, they would not go through with leaving the EU.
In 2017, Farron spoke out against the government's plan to bring back the traditional blue British passport. He said it was an unnecessary cost of Brexit that could have been spent on hospitals and schools.
Saudi Arabia
Farron has criticized Britain's close relationship with Saudi Arabia. In 2015, he said that Britain should stand up for human rights and not ignore problems because Saudi Arabia is an "ally."
Personal Life
Tim Farron is a lifelong non-conformist Protestant. He has said that becoming a Christian at age eighteen was the most important choice he ever made. He is a vegetarian and a big fan of the football team Blackburn Rovers. He married his wife, Rosie, in 1999, and they have four children.
In January 2018, he won an episode of the TV game show Celebrity Mastermind, with Blackburn Rovers as his specialist subject.
In 2019, he published his autobiography called A Better Ambition: Confessions of a Faithful Liberal. This book talks about his life as a Christian and a Liberal politician.
Farron completed the 2021 London Marathon in 4 hours, 44 minutes, and 44 seconds. He raised money for the Brathay Trust, a charity that helps young people.
Images for kids
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Tim Farron's signature
See Also
In Spanish: Tim Farron para niños
