In Depth:  Tim Farron

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Polluted politicians?

Polluted politicians?
Tim Farron
Tim Farron

Keir Starmer’s political honeymoon didn’t survive the summer. His new government started with a gloomy message of ‘buckle up, this is going to hurt’, while floating tax rises to tackle the public finances.

Then it was revealed that he and some of his colleagues received gifts worth large sums of money in the form of clothing and hospitality. They did not break the rules, but neither did they help to restore the trust in politicians that has been seeping away in recent years.

Tim Farron: 'let's rehumanise politics'

Tim Farron: 'let's rehumanise politics'
Tim Farron
Tim Farron

The General Election this summer saw an influx of 334 new MPs into Parliament – a turnover of more than half the entire House of Commons!

The electoral pendulum swung. In 2015 the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party was almost obliterated; in 2019, Labour suffered heavy losses. In 2024, 252 Conservative MPs lost their seats, plus 38 SNP and a smattering of others. I’m delighted to have the largest number of Lib Dem colleagues ever, but the result is also bittersweet. Some of those who lost are friends of mine, and some lost their seat to my party.

A Liberal Democrat election view: A ‘change’ election

A Liberal Democrat election view: A ‘change’ election
Tim Farron
Tim Farron

This general election feels very much like a ‘change’ election. People feel things are broken; they are disillusioned and seeking something different.

But disillusionment often means looking for someone to blame. Elections should of course highlight dividing lines between parties, but any ‘us versus them’ debate that actively pits groups against each other should be a red flag to Christians. We mustn’t lose sight of the dignity and worth of our opponents as human beings.

Pursuing Christ alone
politics & policy

Pursuing Christ alone
Tim Farron
Tim Farron

One of the accounts I follow on X is called Exploding Heads. It offers a satirical take on the way we interact with the news, and has a great character called ‘Colin from Portsmouth’ who constantly phones into a radio station to express outrage about the state of the country.

One of the funniest sketches involves him shouting out a ‘list of woke things’ to the bemused radio host, all of which pose a ‘threat to Western civilisation’. They include: The Guardian, the British Army nowadays, almond milk, ‘King Prince Charles’, and the laws of physics.

Get out there, believer...
politics & policy

Get out there, believer...
Tim Farron
Tim Farron

A general election is on the horizon. The electoral machine is starting to whir into a frenzy that won’t stop until whenever polling day lands.

Elections mean more than just a reshuffling of politicians or technical adjustments to the nation’s bank account. New governments shape the future. From the big commitments, like tackling the climate crisis, to the small, like promising to save the village post office. Elections are a moment for parties to set out their vision.

Rhetoric and refugees
politics & policy

Rhetoric and refugees
Tim Farron
Tim Farron

Before summer recess, Parliament passed the controversial Illegal Migration Bill, an attempt to stop thousands of small boat crossings from France to the UK.

Criminal gangs are profiteering from desperate people who risk their lives in flimsy dinghies. Everyone agrees they should be stopped.

The nature of leadership
politics & policy

The nature of leadership
Tim Farron
Tim Farron

Last month we witnessed the first coronation in 70 years. Did you avidly follow every moment of the spectacle, dip in and out whilst spending time with friends and family, or ignore it altogether and simply enjoy an extra bank holiday?

There was certainly plenty of debate in the media around the pomp and ceremony, the money that was lavished on the event during a cost of living crisis, and the role of an hereditary monarchy in 2023. Society is increasingly sceptical of tradition, religion and authority, to the extent that we are each encouraged to pick ‘our own truth’ from the morass of information and viewpoints that swirl around us.

UK in transition: Displaying grace in troubled times

UK in transition: Displaying grace in troubled times
Tim Farron
Tim Farron

Over the last fortnight, we have said goodbye to our longest reigning monarch, only days after she had said goodbye to her 14th Prime Minister.

With a new king and a new head of government, it’s not surprising that so many of us are feeling a mixture of sorrow and trepidation.

Politics: a mucky business

Politics: a mucky business
Tim Farron
Tim Farron

Tim Farron, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, rejoices in God’s faithfulness compared with man’s inconstancy

One of my enduring memories from my early days of politics at university is a Christian mate of mine saying to me: ‘You need to give up on all that politics. It’s a mucky business’.

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