Tim Farron

The Lib Dems have the best plan to fix our broken water system. Why doesn’t Andy Burnham use it?

The Tories and Labour have created a farm payment scheme which actively disincentivises the production of food. This is utter madness. We are failing our farmers and we are failing our people as we sleepwalk into no longer being able to guarantee that we can feed our country.

Today, I challenged Labour ministers to go much further to stop water companies from dumping sewage in Britain's waterways. So it was utterly bizarre to see Tory MPs yet again annoyed at Lib Dems raising this issue. We won't stop fighting to protect our rivers, lakes and seas.

This is really exciting news and is the result of campaigning over many years. This is an ambitious solution that could solve this problem. It’s now important to help get the details right and I will be working hard with others to make sure that we do.

Cancer patients in South Cumbria face gruelling 3-4-hour round trips every day for weeks on end to receive life-saving radiotherapy in Preston. This awful, unequal access to treatment costs lives. We need a satellite radiotherapy unit at Westmorland General Hospital.

On Friday, I'll be leading a 13-mile overnight sponsored walk to raise money for Manna House - an incredible homeless prevention charity in Kendal who, in these tough financial times, really need our help. You can support them by sponsoring me here: justgiving.com/page/timfarronmannahouse

New fathers in full-time employment can take up to two weeks off work, but they cannot receive statutory paternity leave and pay if they are self-employed. With one in four people in Westmorland working for themselves, I challenged the Government to support self-employed dads.

1 in 4 homes in Westmorland and Lonsdale were built before 1900. They are very expensive to heat and difficult to insulate. I'm urging the Government to come forward with a plan to insulate older properties - which would cut energy bills and keep people warm this winter.

Just being talking to a farmer who is devastated by yesterday’s SFI disaster. 90% of their farm failed to get into SFI due to the calamitous closure of the window after less than 6 hours yesterday. Ministers must come up with an emergency solution today.

The RNLI rescue people in difficulty at sea and make no value judgments as to who they rescue. One day we all may find ourselves in difficulty and we will wish to be rescued and not judged. Proud to sign EDM794 which pays tribute to the incredible, selfless work of the RNLI.

Cancer patients are waiting months to begin vital radiotherapy treatment. Research shows that every four-week delay reduces patient survival by an average of 10% I'm working cross-party to urge the Government to increase access to lifesaving radiotherapy.

The Government is slashing its funding for Westmorland and Furness Council by 31%. This is an attack on every single one of our rural towns and villages. In the House of Commons, I urged the Secretary of State to reverse these appalling cuts to our communities.

I’ve been hearing from farmers about the devastating impact of bluetongue on top of this year’s droughts. We are calling on the government to set up an urgent taskforce, speed up vaccines, and support British farmers to feed our nation.

In a deeply uncertain world, our country's ability to feed itself matters more than ever before. Food security is national security - it's time this Government recognised this and backed our farmers to produce food. www.libdems.org.uk/backfarmers

The outbreak of bluetongue virus is a disaster for animal welfare, and is utterly heartbreaking for farmers across our country. I'm urging the Prime Minister to make rolling out the vaccine and tackling this awful disease an urgent priority for this government.

The @libdems.org.uk have a bold plan to reform the broken water industry and stop sewage being dumped in our lakes, rivers, and seas. Andy Burnham has promised to work with other parties to tackle the big issues our country faces. Will he work with us to protect Britain's waterways?

Delighted to welcome the wonderful team behind Kendal Farmers Market to Parliament for the Countryside Alliance Awards, where they won the award for Local Food and Drink Champion!

The owners of the Flusco landfill site in Newbiggin near Penrith have been found to have flagrantly broken environmental regulations. Residents cannot leave out their washing or let their kids play outside because of the stench. We need tougher action against these polluters 👇

In places like Cumbria, young people often struggle to get a job because of poor public transport and a lack of affordable housing. This underinvestment in our rural communities is bad for local businesses and bad for our young people looking to enter the world of work.

A joy to be out on the doorsteps in sunny Ambleside and Stainton last night, chatting to residents about second homes, farming and lots more!

I'm deeply concerned by the news that North Tyneside Council have announced that they will be closing High Borrans Outdoor Education Centre in Windermere from November. I've written to the Chief Executive of North Tyneside Council, asking her to urgently review this decision.

In 1945, almost half of the children who survived the Nazi death camps made a new life for themselves on the banks of Windermere. - where the fantastic Lakes School now is. We are working to build an exhibition about the Windermere Children alongside a rebuilt Lakes School 👇

Hill farmers are facing crippling costs and severe cuts to their income. But many aren't able to receive Universal Credit because they don't earn the minimum wage every month. I'm glad the Minister for Employment has agreed to meet with me to discuss how we can support farmers.

Badenoch being needlessly graceless, personally abusive and unpleasant. The Speaker rightly calling it out.

The West Coast Main Line is the busiest railway line in Western Europe. And yet the vital project to upgrade the line between Warrington and the Scottish Border has been delayed by successive governments. This must be a priority for the next Prime Minister 👇

Ever since the fall of the Berlin Wall, governments led by all political parties have been complacent about the threat that our country faces. Our national security is too important - we need to work together, cross-party, to make sure our country is defended for years to come.

Thank you to @timfarron.bsky.social for attending our event to mark #RefugeeWeek and discussing how refugee integration supports stronger communities.

The fact that the UK is reliant on imports for 45% of its food supply is no longer an economic convenience - it's a national security liability. We desperately need this government to start treating food security as national security. My plea to the Defence Minister👇

Thames Water is failing to do its basic job and investors and still cashing in. Enough is enough - time to put them into special administration and move to a publicly owned model where bill payers come first. @timfarron.bsky.social

Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, yet account for just 1% of cancer research funding. This must change.

Far too often, we see housing developers using viability assessments to duck out of building the affordable homes that our communities so desperately need. Today in Parliament, I urged the Housing Minister to give local planning authorities the power to stop this from happening

An absolute joy to visit High Borrans Outdoor Education Centre on #NatureOutdoorsAdventureDay to see the fantastic work they do creating life-changing experiences for young people. Outdoor education is so important in building confidence, resilience, and a love of the outdoors.

Lifetime ambition to get the word 'wazzock' on the front page of a national newspaper achieved. Cheers, Zia!

From sewage to farming, we are leading the way on environmental issues that matter to British voters. Meanwhile, when was the last time you heard the Green Party actually talk about green issues? It's the Lib Dems who are championing environmental causes. www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...

I have been working with the local community over the past 12 months to make the case for National Highways to look again and I’m delighted that they have listened and have promised to look at every option at the table, including a commitment to a proper public consultation.

A joy to be out on the doorsteps in Tebay, Shap, and Long Marton, listening to the issues that matter most to residents - including the need for more buses, the campaign to keep Junction 38 open, and the need for more volunteers to help at Shap swimming pool!

It was such an honour to join Penrith Young Farmers and the wider farming community to celebrate their 90th anniversary. For 90 years, the club has enabled lifelong friendships to be nurtured & sustained, and provided a space for young people to grow as the farmers of the future.

Upland farmers who farm on common land have found themselves excluded from future agri-environment schemes because the computer software prevents their applications. This is a disaster for hill farmers, our environment, and our tourism economy. I'm fighting to get this fixed.

The election results last week show that Reform UK are on the rise - while Labour and the Conservatives are finished. The only party who can beat Reform UK at the Cumbria Mayoral elections next May are the Liberal Democrats. My interview with BBC Radio Cumbria this morning 👇

Spot on. Surely Trump's conflict in the Middle East and Putin's invasion of Ukraine show how utterly vital our food security is? The Government needs to wake up and back our farmers.

This week, I presented a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament, which seeks to radically reform the water industry to reduce sewage pollution

Around one in five people of working age have a disability. Many of them already work - many more would wish to. We should be investing in giving disabled people the confidence and opportunities so that they can enter the world of work and thrive.

Wonderful to have @timfarron.bsky.social join us in Melrose! Vote #duncandunlop @raygeorgeson.bsky.social #scotlibdems on May 7! #Holyrood2026 #VoteLibdem 🔶🗳️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🍑

This land sits right next to the Furness railway line - a vital transport link to both BAE Submarines in Barrow and Sellafield nuclear power station. That’s why I made representations to ministers asking whether this sale would be compliant with the UK’s sanctions against Russia.

Proud to co-sponsor my friend and colleague @sarahdykeld.bsky.social's Good Food Bill in Parliament. We need a national food strategy that boosts food security and backs our farmers by encouraging supermarkets and public service providers to prioritise the procurement of British-grown produce.