Is Tim Farron the LibDems’ best campaigner?
Tim Farron may not be a household name yet, but keep a close eye on the 39 year old MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale. Having ended nearly a century of Tory dominance at the last General Election with a majority of less than 500, you’d expect his seat to be categorised as ”ultra-marginal”. And no doubt Tim Farron is wisely treating it as such.
But some of the psephological info emerging from the Lake District is so amazing that computer programs would probably reject it as being too ridiculous. On Tim’s watch, the local election results in the area have been little short of sensational, including some wards where you may as well weigh the Liberal vote as count it. This was capped off with the news that, in the Euro elections, South Lakeland produced the highest LibDem vote share anywhere in the United Kingdom.
If Tim Farron converts Westmorland into being a rock-solid seat at the General Election, watch his national profile soar in the next Parliament.
Ranked no. 56 in the UK
Ranked no.6 in the UK
June 14th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
TheyWorkForYou: “Voted very strongly for introducing a smoking ban”.
So what’s he doing in the “Liberal” Democrats?
June 14th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Yes!
June 14th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
@Richard
There’s more to liberalism then the smoking ban
June 15th, 2009 at 1:35 am
He might be wrong on the smoking ban.
That wasn’t the subject of the article.
June 15th, 2009 at 2:24 am
His vote against anti-discrimination regulation is interesting. It depends what his reasons for it are I suppose. Clearly a very good campaigner though
June 15th, 2009 at 3:20 am
Many LibDems are excellent campaigners. Hec, many from other parties are too.
What’s his secret to success though? What differentiates him from not only the other MPs, but the other excellent campaigners?
June 15th, 2009 at 10:36 am
I think he would have made, and would still make, a great Party President. Two MPs have sung his praises to me.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
What a shame to see Liberal Vision still in action. Must be another conference coming up or was it more about getting a few appearances on the telly? It was much better when they reverted to inaction.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
What a well-thought out, well argued, plurlaistic post, Tom.
There is a conference coming up in….errr….September.
Make no apologies about Liberal Vision appearances on TV - what with it being the most important communications medium in the country and all that. Hope we continue to successfully build this already pretty decent national profile.
June 15th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
@Mark
Yes don’t judge a man or party on where they stand on one issue but where they stand on a range of issues.
September 1st, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Is Tim Farron the Lib Dems’ best campaigner?
Erm, no.
There are many in our party who are excellent campaigners, probably too many to mention but Julia Goldsworthy and Jo Swinson spring to mind.
Then again, I suppose it depends what Tim’s campaigning on. I would accept that he is the best campaigner within the party if you are of the persuasion that questions of Christian morality are paramount - his record speaks for itself. Otherwise I don’t think he’s all that effective.