Tim Farron MP announced at tonight’s Federal Executive meeting that he is to seek re-election as Liberal Democrat Party President this autumn:
Being our party’s President is a wonderful honour for me. Together our party is achieving so much – taking two million people out of tax, driving the pupil premium to give a better start to our most disadvantaged children and helping to create the green economy of tomorrow.
I’m proud that our party is one of hope, freedom and liberty and we are fighting for our values. We are leading the charge for libel reform and equal marriage, whilst standing up to intrusions on our civil liberties. This government is better, fairer and greener for having the Liberal Democrats in it.Within the party we have made also major changes in the last two years. A move from Cowley Street to our new HQ, a new chief executive appointed and major steps forward in how the party communicates with our most important asset, you, our members.
Over the last few years together we have stood up and made our party one of government. It’s been tough but it was the right decision. We are making our country a better place for our children, our families and our communities.
But there is more that can and must be done. This is why I am re-standing to be President of our party.
If re-elected I will continue to be a distinctive liberal voice, making sure Liberal Democrats are heard – both on the ground and on the airwaves. I will do everything I can to make sure we get the credit we deserve.
I will spend the next two years working tirelessly to improve our campaigning capacity, working with the campaigns department and making sure our people on the ground have the tools they need to win in 2015 and in all the elections preceding. You have the passion, skills and drive; I want to give you the equipment to win.
If re-elected my job as President is to spend the next two years being an unwavering supporter of Nick and our ministerial team, but to be a critical friend of the coalition. Most importantly it’s to get out there and make clear what the Liberal Democrats are for – why we are distinct from the coalition, why people should vote for us, why people should join us, and why we still have ideas to make Britain even more green, fair and liberal.
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25 Comments
I’m backing you all the way Tim! You have done a very good job so far, in often the most uncertain of times for the party and I believe you deserve re-election.
Gets my vote. Can’t imagine I would vote for anyone else whoever they are.
I’m a great believer in democracy and all that but hopefully no-one will stand against him and cost the party a fortune in running an election when money is tight.
I voted for Tim Farron last time as Party President and yes I can point to his effectiveness.
Certainly he can draw on his experience in his first term of office, however I won’t be voting for him this time.
Great news: good at communicating; good at campaigning; good at providing a liberal direction.
So “good, “good”, “good”, which equals “great”!
I for one will be running the Mark Littlewood for Lib Dem President campaign. The juggernaut starts here.
Graeme – I presume you mean this Mark Littlewood, who features prominently on Conservative Home:
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/mark-littlewood
Not quite sure we need somebody who resigns from his role in the LibDems after taking a Tory line on PR is quite the person we need as our President.
Although, of course, given that he has given up his membership as I understand it, he isn’t currently eligible to run anyway…
Besides, I suspect that he is enjoying his current job far too much to want to be President.
I’m guessing this confirms that Farron wants to be positioned to take over if Clegg is replaced in late 2014 or early 2015- another two years as president allows him to keep speaking for the grassroots and shields him from the pressure to join the cabinet.
What are the other likely candidates, if any? Swinson, Laws, Hughes, Featherstone?
I am voting for Tim!
Good. Keep right on, sir.
Laws divisive; Hughes has done it; Swinson already has an important role she should stick with; Featherstone too Londoncentric; Tim is the one -nobody else gets close.!
Depressing that most people are only considering MPs as potentials for Party President. Having a President who’s not a Parliamentarian might help them be the “voice of the grassroots” rather better – if it has to be an elected official, I hear we’ve still got a few councillors knocking about…
I do hope somebody stands against Tim if only for the sake of a debate about how the Party sees the Presidency, though I agree he’s a hard act to beat!
Oh, and in case Lembit’s reading this… no!
I imagine this will be a coronation without an election as there’s only once has been a contested election for party president when the incumbent was restanding and I can’t see Tim having done anything too controversial that would encourage a contested election.
Mr Farron was one of the main people going on and on about how we should be rejoicing about “75% of our manifesto implemented”, and how we should be basing our campaigning on that.
As has now been revealed:
https://www.libdemvoice.org/lib-dem-manifesto-coalition-agreement-ucl-29188.html
that “75%” figure was very dubious, with a change of methodology it becomes 40%.
I have from when party figures first started pushing it pointed out that the 75% sounds dubious, and it is damaging to our party to be pushing it. As I have written in my message in the comments to the LibDem Voice article about the further study which gave the revised 40% figure, I would regard it as a matter of basic competency in anyone who aspires to political office that they are able to deal critically with figures like this, do the basic analysis, ask the relevant questions. As Mr Farron appeared unable to do this, and unable to see that the campaign line he was pushing on promoting the “75%” figure was so damaging to our party, I feel rather than standing again he should be tendering his immediate resignation.
Nobody floated the name ‘Huppert’ yet?
Surprised…
Tim has my vote – he’s been a fab president and true liberal voice.
I agree with Dave Page. Tim Farron has been fantastic in his first two years, even more effective that I’d have expected. I certainly have no objection to him serving a further two years.
However, I feel there may be advantages in having a non-parliamentarian serving as president for a number of reasons. And while an election might be “expensive” to run, it’s important that our democratic procedures are democratic and if there is anyone who feels they have what it takes to do the job they should feel free to put themselves forward. I’m sure Tim’s not afraid of a contest!
Absolutely agree there should be “a debate about how the party sees the presidency” and what exactly the role of the presidency should be. Tim has, to a degree, re-created it in his image – not necessarily a bad thing – and others may see the role differently.
Anyone who is brave enough to take on Tim will have a tough job convincing members to vote for them, I suspect! To be honest, I can’t see a contested election either but I’m far from opposed to having an election rather than a coronation.
Tim Farron is one of our Party’s best assets. He’s been a fantastic President these past two years; loyal to the Liberal Democrats and a critical friend of the Coalition.
He’s been a distinctive Lib Dem voice on the broadcast airwaves, an inspiring speaker on Party platforms at Conference and across the country, meeting with local members.
On Twitter and elsewhere he spends a great deal of time discussing issues with Party members.
He’s done so much…and has much more to do.
I campaigned for him two years ago and I’m proud to be campaigning for him again.
Vote Tim Farron for Lib Dem President.
i agree that tim is a great president but i echo dave page’s sentiments in that i would like to see a challenger for the sake of debate and a real discussion about what a president is for.
On a personal level, I like Tim, but feel that the party is going to need a new cleanskin, who does not only talk the talk, but walk the walk.
Tim has consistently voted to support the measures which I abhor the most, such as the NHS and Social care act.He gives the impression of being a bit of a rebel and free thinker, when he appears on TV, but his record in voting say the opposite.
Tim is the best asset the party has – he is not hated like Clegg and Danny Alexander. And he seems likeable to the general public. He is our new Charles Kennedy. I will be voting for him so I hope everyone else does! 🙂
No hesitation in supporting Tim. Nobody else comes close.
One of the tools we need at grassroots is a quick response from departments on info about policies. Having not received a reply to my request for info for the campaign this year I found it quite difficult to answer some of the questions on the doorstep eg pension reforms. So a commitment to helping achieve two way communication (not just a Q&A) would get my vote.